Vampires
by El-Mango
Summary: This is the RP that my man and I are doing. It is going on here for safekeeping as well as for others to read RATED M FOR LEMONS and language! PS: in any chapter where Cyrus's first wife was called "Helen", that was a mix up. Her name was "Teresa"
1. Chapter 1: really long start

The rain pounded down on the long black cloak of the figure in the alleyway as he stumbled over and slammed into a group of trash cans. He whipped his head around and scanned the darkness behind him, panic in his red and sharp eyes. He tumbled up and ran on, limping heavily.

Damia smiled in the darkness, hidden, her blood red eyes glinting in the moonlight. It made her smile seeing this vampire panic. He was in her territory; he was in trouble now. She followed close behind him, in much less of a hurry than him. She sighed; this was getting boring, watching him limp. Then Damia was suddenly beside him, her long, sharp teeth poised at his neck. "Trespasser, what are you doing here?"

:

The hooded figure gasped as she appeared behind him. He shivered and cowered from her sharp fangs. "I...I...I...I...I was just...looking for food" he staggered to say.

Damia sighed and moved her teeth away from his neck. She placed her hand and her hips, her long black hair rustling in the slight breeze. Her ivory skin glowed in the moonlight. She stood a good, 5'7, she had skin tight black leather boots on that reached just below her knees. Damia also wore a tight leather pants and a dark blue, fitted cotton tank top. "What's your name?" She said calmly, with a hint of irritation in her voice. She looked at her watch, almost 2am. Great. She stared at him waiting for his response

The man stood back up slowly "I...I'm Xerxies..." he was covered in tattered rags, and wore over this a brown old cloak. His face was scratched and pockmarked with burns.

Damia wrinkled her nose. He smelled horrible. Her keen eyes picked up on the pot marks on his arms and the burns. He was ill; he would infect her and the vampires under her control. He was so...pitiful and weak. "Xerxies...come here." Damia said with a silky and attractive tone to her voice, drawing him in. Placing her hands on either side of his face, she had his mind under her control with her beauty. She then twisted his neck, a loud crack reverberating off the alley walls

High above on a tall cathedral tower another figure watched, perched on a gargoyle's head. He stood a tall 6' 3 and weighed a good 200 pounds. A long flowing cape, darker than the night that surrounded him. His lips formed a thin smile as the crack of the lowly vampire reached his ears.

Damia looked up at the cathedral, 2 am. She inhaled deeply, a foreign scent lightly entering her mind. Damia closed her eyes and shook her head, too many new smells tonight; it may just be the dead one. She turned away and disappeared into the darkness. She quickly and silently moved throughout the night, patrolling her territory; keeping negative intruders out. Too many vampires in one area would set off the balance of human death. Also, they wouldn't know the ground rules she had set up.

The man on the tower stood up slowly and smiled again. "This will be interesting" he said, his long fangs flashed in the rain. Lightening streaked the sky and he was gone. From the shadow his unseen and undetected eyes watched Damia dash through the dark city alleys

As Damia moved swiftly and silently, she picked up on yet another, lowly intruder. Sighing inwardly she sped up as to intervene. As she got closer she could tell that another vampire from her own area had already made it there and a fight was going to break out. Once she arrived she saw that both were new vampires. "Serena! Calm yourself!" Damia said loudly enough to startle both of them. She aimed her piercing and thirsty eyes towards the newcomer. "Why are you here stranger? This is not your place." He was a very new vampire, only seeking to cause trouble. His creator was nowhere in site. "Where is your master young one?"

The lowly vampire shuddered but acted arrogant "I'm here to take what's mine, this world!"

Damia sighed. This was the 5th over pompous and arrogant male vampire this month. New vampire had a tendency to take after their creators; it would seem they all had the same creator. "If you do not leave this area, then it will be your blood spilt. No humans or vampires of my domains!" She bared her teeth at him.

The vampire shrunk back and cowered before her, his already pale face turned a new white "I only wanted some food..."

Shaking her head wearily she said "Then you are not here for world domination young one. What is your name? Who is your creator?" Damia hoped to find out more about this one's creator, and maybe the source of all of these arrogant young vampires

:

The vampire shuddered in the rain. "My name is...John...as for who infected me...I don't know who is was. I just woke up like this with fang marks in my neck"

Looking this vampire in the eyes she could see that he was not lying. "Come with me John. I'll find you a new home and get you some food." She held out her hand to him. At least this one she did not need to attack or kill. As they walked back to her place, as John was now to scared too run, she had pulled out her cell phone and called someone, in hushed tones they talked for five minutes. Once they had finish Damia snapped her cell shut. "John, I have found a new home for you. Another head vampire has agreed to take you in, and teach you manners and the rules of the human and vampire worlds. He will collect you tomorrow night. Until then, you will feed, but not on live blood. You get the bagged and tagged donations. You'd most likely lose control and kill the human you'd feed on."

The vampire from the tower smiled once more from the rafters of the building they were in and decided to finally introduce himself, With a flash of lightening he appeared in the center of the room, soundless and for a moment was unnoticed by Damia and the others

Damia soon turned around to see this new and very old, although he only looked 20 or so year's old, and strong vampire. She bared her teeth, hissing slightly, instinctively moving the two young ones behind her. "Who are you?"

"I...am Cyrus" He said simply, his cloak obscuring his face. From under neither his cape the flash of both sword and gun shone on Damia's face

Damia looked calmly at both gun and blade. Unimpressed she met Cyrus's eyes, her eyes angry at this intrusion. "Cyrus, you do realise you are intruding on my territory? Which is deeply frowned upon without permission; you of all vampires should know this rule. I can already tell you are older than I." She stood up straight, and walked calmly towards him, her eyes scanning his every feature.

Cyrus removed his cloak to expose his surprisingly healthy face. His red eyes catlike in appearance absorbed all light and reflected none so to see better. A narrow scar split horizontally across his nose, ending at each cheekbone. "Yes I am older than you, and yes I am aware of this intrusion. However I think you will soon see why my presence here is justified. For you see, I am here to make peace."

Damia raised an eyebrow. "I have no quarrels with any of my surrounding vampires territories...Where are you From Cyrus?" Her eyes locked with his and her some loose strands of black, silky hair fell over her face.

Cyrus smile and held out his gloved hands. "I am the leader of the Vampire Knights from the city to the east"

Damia's eyes hardened, "Serena, take John to the back and feed him. Do not come until I call." She watched them leave; as soon as they were gone her eyes met Cyrus's again. "It is your Knights that killed many innocents in my territory. Vampire and human alike. Why now do you want a truce?"

Cyrus shook his head "I am the first of my brood to venture into these parts, I left my second in command Miguel to watch over my city while I inspected this city."

"I was there 50 years ago when my territory was attacked. I was not in command until that fight was over and my mother forced your Knights out." Damia only stepped closer, "When did you become leader of the Knights Cyrus?"

"I assumed command over 200 years ago little pup. But for the last 60 years I have been in hibernation, gathering strength, It will please you to know that I personally killed the vampire I left in charge in my step. After i heard he had been attacking other territories"

Damia bristled at being called pup, but relaxed as he told his story. "I accept your truce. I hold no grudge against you now, I do put trust that your new leadership will keep more harm from being done." Anger flashed in her eyes. That insult was defiantly unneeded. "I may be young Cyrus, but I am neither stupid nor unwise. I do not take kindly to that insult." She looked at the clock, it was dawn."Now, unless you are a day-walker you can stay here tonight. Even if you are not, it would still be best to stay. The people here know as little as possible about us. And I would like to keep it that way." She sighed a long tired sigh. She hadn't had the chance to feed in three days and had been maintaining peace actively for all of them; three slayings, one chasing out and one acceptance.

Cyrus bowed "Your hospitality is greatly appreciated. And while a long life has left me with sun resistant skin. I still prefer to sleep during the day, thank you. And now to rest" he said calmly as he leaned against a wall and closed his eyes.

Damia shook her head, "I'm afraid I cannot rest of feed until I get John out tomorrow. He needs supervision. Serena and him do not get along; both are young and hot tempered." She swayed slightly, her eyes beginning to become dark and wild with hunger. Inhaling deeply, she maintained almost perfect control of her hunger.

Cyrus was no more asleep than she was and watched her from under his cloak. "She needs to feed" he thought to himself. From under his coat he pulled out a bag of red fluid. "Here, AB+, it will do you more good than that O- shit."

Her nose drifted to the bag. Her entire body began to move towards Cyrus, and then she stopped. "I can't now. I'll leave those two for too long..." She began to slowly look towards the door, her body unmoving.

Cyrus shook his head "I'll watch the pups, feast. You look tired" he said as he passed her to the door, throwing her the bag on his way out.

She caught it and nodded towards Cyrus. "Thank you..." Then she began to feed. She bit into the bag lightly, her sharp teeth piercing it. She drank slowly, so she could take in the taste, the feeling of the blood. As soon as she was done, she moved towards the door that led to where Cyrus and the young ones were. Her lips still has a slight ruby tint to them, and some brightness had returned to her eyes, causing them to almost looks as if they were glowing. "Thank you Cyrus."

Cyrus smiled "Not a problem, I have a few friends in a few hospitals I keep tabs on. So if you're ever in the neighbourhood and need a little bit of the good stuff, you know who to call." he said with a smile

Damia blushed slightly. She felt guilty now for leaving him with her responsibility...that and her was so...petty.

She could feel herself staring at him. She tried to look away, but couldn't. What the hell...? She thought to herself. This was not normal for her, indifference over men was normal for her...

Cyrus gave her a charming smile and removed his cape, revialing a small arsenal attacted to him. 4 large pistols, 6 grenades, 2 sub-machine guns, 2 short swords, and one massive sword strapped to his back. not to mention about a dozen small to large knives all across his body

Damia began to laugh, "Are we trying to over compensate for something?" She darted beside him and began to lightly pick out some of the knives and fiddle with them. All the while looking elegant.

Cyrus smiled as she handled the knives "Careful there...all of them are a silver composite, and burn on contact"

Damia looked up at him, "even a moron could tell them simply from the look of them." She then decided to pick up on of the pistols. It felt slightly heavy in her hand. "I always preferred my teeth and claws to weaponry."

Cyrus laughed, "Open the chamber" he said

Sighing out of boredom she tossed the gun back to Cyrus. Energy from the blood she had just had was beginning to fill her. AB blood had more energy in it than most. "So, Cyrus, tell me about you?" She said as she walked around, smooth stealthy and sexy... like a cat.

A thin smile again crossed his lips "Well I'm old enough to be your ancestor, and I would also like to know just how many are in your own brood"

She smiled, "how old...? And then are exactly 87 in my brood. It has thinned over the past few months since the humans have gotten more paranoid. I've had to send the more rambunctious ones to the East."

Cyrus nodded "I was born in 1688, in Manchester, England, and was infected in 1815, preserving my 27 year old self"

Damia smiled, "You look good for your age...321...I was changed 180 years ago at age 18; in total, 198 years old. It turns out we were infected near the same place...I was changed in Bradford , England..." She looked away slightly, "In a whore house...where...I had to work. I got changed during some sex, but I don't regret being changed. I like it more than being human....sort of"

Cyrus looked away and thought back to his own past. So long ago... he thought "I can't even remember what my mother looked like..." he said. Cyrus grabbed his cape and walked out of the room.

Damia followed him "Cyrus, wait!" She was soon at his side, "C'mon...don't run. there isn't very far you can go right now..."

Cyrus looked to the shaded window and saw the light of the new sun flooding in. "We should sleep"

Damia walked over and touched his shoulder, "Your past hurts you...doesn't it?"

Cyrus looked back into her eyes, His own sharp as the sword on his back. "Why does it matter to you?"

She winced at the sharpness in his voice. "Why shouldn't it matter to me? Am I not allowed to care?"

Cyrus's eyes softened and his hand found its way to her face, and gently brushed her cheek. "I apologize for that" he said softly.

She shivered at his touch, her cheeks flushing. A man hadn't touched her in anything similar to this in...a long, long time. "It's ok...it seems with vampires, our pasts always hurt."

Cyrus nodded "Yes...it would seem we are bound to an eternity of a sense of loss over our once normal lives"

Damia shook head, "I don't feel much loss over my past life...the loss of my family yes...the only mother I had since I was changed was the vampire that took me in. The one that changed me...well...he fled, thinking me dead. I knew I couldn't go back home...So, I ran." She inhaled slowly, "I only miss my family...nothing else."

Cyrus nodded "There are only two people that I miss now, my mother and...Well besides them the only family I ever had was my father, who changed me so he wasn't much of a father."

Damia looked directly into his eyes, "Who else Cyrus? Who else?" She leaned her head into his hand.

Cyrus retracted his hand and looked away "My wife...Theresa"

Damia nodded, smiling, "I thought as much. You were one lucky person, to have found someone like that." She didn't look at all upset by the fact he had a wife, more...dreamy. Like it was an idea that she had once longed for but now took joy in knowing that it simply existed.

Cyrus closed his eyes "Anyway" he said opening his eyes again "We should sleep, and talk more tomorrow"

Damia nodded, "I suppose you're right...The new ones have already gone to bed..." a yawn escaped her mouth. "Besides Cameron is coming for John first thing in the evening. I can't look dishevelled for when he comes." Slowly walking to a set out stairs leading up Damia stopped, "There are spare room up here Cyrus."

Cyrus nodded "Thank you again for your hospitality Damia"

She smiled softly, "It's the least I can do for someone who has brought peace between territories." As she walked up the stairs she chided herself. She was acting like a 15 year old girl and it was unacceptable. Once she reached her room she opened the door to total blackness, slipping inside she went right to sleep.

Cyrus found an empty room and covered himself in his cloak before falling asleep

Waking suddenly, Damia looked at a clock next to her. An hour before Cameron arrived. Perfect; she had enough time to tidy herself and the house. She silently went downstairs to go clean the mess the was the kitchen. Empty bags of blood, glasses stained with blood. She was positive she saw some blood on the counters. New vampires...so messy.

Cyrus was not upstairs, he had slipped outside into the light hours ago. While he was resistant he was not immune and help his cloak pulled tightly over his face and a pair of thick sunglasses on as he surveyed the territory he had just made peace with

Once downstairs Damia went to work cleaning, she was done in a matter of minutes. Looking down at her hands she saw that they were blood stained and had minute cuts on them. "Great." She said under her breath, "this will be fun to get off." She quickly darted upstairs and began to run a bath for herself. She sighed as she got into the hot water, her long hair floating around her and covering her chest.

Cyrus was returning from his business and walked upstairs, slightly wearily from the sun exposure. He stumbled and opened the door to what he thought was his room and found Damia sitting in the warm bathwater. He stared for a moment, stunned.

Damia looked over and her jaw dropped. Her face turned very bright red and she quickly brought her knees to her chest. "Get. Out. Now."

Cyrus back out as fast as he could and closed the door, standing outside for a moment he let out a long breath

Damia quickly followed, she had on a new set of clothes and her hair was tied back. "You will tell no one what you just saw..." She said softly. As she began to walk away she stopped, did a half turn, opened her mouth to speak and then stopped. She continued to walk forward, her cheeks still pink.

Cyrus stood still for a minute, then smiled, turned, and opened the door to HIS room.

Damia was soon knocking at his door. Her high heel clad foot tapping impatiently.

Cyrus opened the door and gestured for her to enter

She then turned to face him quickly, her eyes looking away from his, "How much did you see Cyrus..?"

Cyrus held up his hands "Hey I was a little weary from the sun exposure and I..."

Stepping on his toe very hard she said more sharply, "How much?"

Cyrus ignored the pain in his foot and shook his head "Nothing" he said

She met his eyes, "really...?"

Cyrus nodded "Really"

"You saw nothing?" She had been holding her breath. So far no man had seen her naked, and lived, since she was changed.

Cyrus nodded again "Nothing"

Finally exhaling she said softly, "you've come the closest to seeing me naked that any man has since I was changed." She didn't know whether to be happy about that or not.

Cyrus nodded "Alright, I apologize"

Damia shook her head, "no, no that isn't what I meant..." She turned bright red, "You know. I really should go Cameron is going to be here soon and -" Just then, there was a soft knocking at the door. "Cameron is here." Damia the rushed downstairs and ushered John to the door. "Opening the door she said, embracing Cameron, "Welcome back! It's been so long since we last saw each other." As she hugged Cameron, he inhaled her scent.

He beamed when they touched. He more than obviously liked her. "It has indeed been too long Damia." He kissed her hand then looked around, "Where is the new one? You said his name was John?" Damia motioned for John to show himself. He quickly came over to both of them. "He is going to be a perfect addition to our family in the East." Cameron said, not taking his eyes off of Damia.

Cyrus walked down the stairs slowly, his arsenal swaying yet not making a sound as he moved. "Hello"

Cameron quickly looked over at Cyrus, "Damia, who is THAT?" He said, his nose wrinkling as his stance became protective.

Damia rolled her eyes, "Cameron, this is Cyrus. Cyrus this is Cameron. Cameron is from the East and Cyrus is one of the Knights..." Her eyes locked onto Cyrus, and Cameron's eyes locked onto her. Her glared, furious she was no longer looking at him.

Cyrus smiled and held out his hand "A pleasure to meet your acquaintance Cameron, I am Cyrus. I lead the Vampire Knights in the eastern city."

Cameron just looked at it as if his hand were diseased. "A pleasure..." He looked back to Damia, "Weren't your's and his territories feuding? "

Damia sighed, "a truce has been called Cameron. I was going to get you to spread the word."

Still glaring Cameron, his pride wounded, said quietly to her, "It is amazing what you'll do for a pretty face and a good screw Damia..." He then spat right at her feet. Damia just stood there, her face blank.

Cyrus's sword was at Cameron's throat before the spit hit Damia's boot. It was almost as tall as he was, a full hand wide, and yet Cyrus held it like a child's toy. "Now that was not very polite Mr. Cameron" he said a waggled his finger

Cameron snareled at Cyrus. It was then that Damia walked in between them and silently moved them apart. "Cameron, you will be leaving John with me." She then turned her back towards them, "He is not going to be relocated with you, nor will anyone else. Now leave of your own free will or I will have you chased out." She paused and said almost inaudibly, "Cameron, you were one of the leaders of our kind; I will see that you are replaced before nightfall."

Cyrus lowered his sword but did not replace it on his back "Best leave now little one"

Damia then hurried away. In a flash she was upstairs and her door slammed so hard the flood below shook slightly. John then backed away slowly, "I'm going to go downstairs now..." He said softly and darted off.

Cyrus exhaled and replaced his sword on his back, wiping his face he shook his head "Silly arrogant pup"

Upstairs Damia sat silently on her bed. Unmoving, almost appearing to not be breathing. Then, tears slowly began to roll down her face, one of the other. Her body then began to shake and shake. "Stop being such a baby..." she said to herself quietly. "You're old enough that his words shouldn't hurt you like this."

Cyrus opened the door slowly said softly "May I come in?"

Damia froze, but then nodded. "I'm sorry for what you had to see...He isn't normally like that..."

Cyrus closed the door behind him and sat down on the end of the bed beside her. "I understand."

"I'm sorry you have to see me like...like this...I'm such a mess. It is horrible I'm acting like I'm 12!" She started to ramble on and on about how she should be acting her age until she needed to inhale.

Cyrus grabbed her by the shoulders gently and shook her a bit "Hey...relax" he said and smiled, his sharp eyes gazing into hers

Damia wanted to look away, but his eye seemed to hold a death grip on hers. "Your eyes make it hard to look away..." she said softly, calming slowly.

Cyrus smiled and moved a bit closer "As do yours..."

She shrugged, "mine are normal. They reflect light outwards as well, yours...they only take in light. They're different that others eyes."

Cyrus placed a hand on her cheek "That's not what I mean..."

She flushed a deep shade of red. Her heartbeat sped up. "Then what do you mean...?"

Cyrus moved a little closer still "I mean that your eyes....they are...captivating..." he said softly.

**(Part Two: A/N Whoa, what a story thus far. Very loooong chapter, the others will be shorter, I promise**!!)

"Captivating?" Damia said this as if it was a completely foreign concept to her. This was the only compliment for a man that seemed...genuine...She looked into Cyrus's eyes, "why did you defend me?"

Cyrus shrugged "Is it not common chivalry to defend the honour of a women?"

Damia blinked, "My honour has never been something there to defend. My honour was always taken from me..." She flushed, "thank you...for thinking...for believing I have honour..." Damia smiled softly.

Cyrus smiled and moved closer still, there lips now mere inches apart. "It was my most sincere...pleasure..."

Damia turned red, "really?" She looked directly into his eyes, her mind searching for a lie but seeing none. She could now feel his breath on hers, the tingle of irony blood on it.

Cyrus moved a tiny bit closer, and whispered "Really..."

Damia bit her lip, a small pearl of blood forming. She tilted her head to one side and shifted her weight so she moved slightly closer. She wanted him to kiss her...she wanted to bite his neck. It had been so long...so very long.

Cyrus tilted his head to follow hers. Finally their lips met and he placed his arm around her

Damia exhaled slowly and pulled him closer as she moved his lips from his and lightly bit his neck. Slowly biting down harder, drawing some blood for herself. She sighed at the taste, so good. She the moved her lips back to his and pulled her hair out of its ponytail, letting it cascade down her back and her shoulders.

Cyrus inhaled deeply and pulled her into his arms and kissed her passionately. His hand flowed through her hair and brushed her soft smooth cheek.

Quickly Damia pulled away and ran her fingers over her bite marks. "Your blood tastes good..." Her lips were lightly stained with it. She kissed him back and then moved back to his neck. Pulling away she said breathlessly, "planning on getting rid of the guns Cy?"

Cyrus removed his cloak and let it fall to the floor below. A few quick snaps and pulls of straps and about 250 pounds of weaponry lay on the floor.

Damia blinked, "you are certainly prepared...for the worst that is."

Cyrus smile and kissed her again, pulled back and bite her neck gently.

Damia gasped slightly and dug her very sharp nails so hard into his back it ripped his shirt.

Cyrus sucked a bit of blood and exhaled deeply as he pulled back, his eyes closed. Opening them he kissed her again and again.

Damia then realized how much blood of Cyrus's she took. Which was a lot. "Your shirt appears to be ripped..." She said softly.

Cyrus threw away the torn rags and kissed her more vigorously,

"why have you taken so little blood...?" Damia whispered softly into his ear, nibbling it softly, kissing his neck.

Cyrus smiled "You're small, and don't have as much but if you insist..." he whispered as he sank his fangs into her yet again.

Damia gasped again and smiled. Such a curious feeling, having your blood leave you. In a flash her shirt was off. Damia began to work her way down Cyrus's chest, biting it softly. Pulling away she said breathlessly, "what are we doing?" She gave a half smile, fang showing and sparkling in the light.

Cyrus shrugged and tore off her belt "I have no idea, but who cares?" he said in between gasps.

"we just met.." Damia said without any conviction, "this isn't wise..." Kissing Cyrus's cheek her hand worked quickly at his belt, simply cutting it with her claws. "that was easy..."

Cyrus kissed her all over, her bra was simply sliced away, "No, it probably isn't wise at all, but again, who cares?"

Breathlessly Damia said, "We should...but...I don't..." She smiled "that was my favourite bra..."

Cyrus shrugged "Does it really matter right now?"

Damia shook her head, "not right now..." She licked her lips. She just couldn't get enough of his blood. It was so...so good. Damia bit him again. "Let me know...when I should stop..." She then pushed Cyrus down. "You have no idea what you've gotten yourself into..." She smiled, she'd been hungry for so long.

Cyrus smiled and bit down again, wanting more. "Take as much as you want, it'll only get passed around between us anyway" he said with a laugh. He released his fangs and kissed her chest again and again

Damia shuddered closing her eyes, once she opened them they seemed to be alight with a bright red flame. As she kissed his chest she moved again to his neck. "I didn't mean the biting Cyrus..." Damia smiled coyly.

Cyrus smiled and whispered in her ear "Neither did I..." He ripped off her pants and ran his hand down her long smooth legs, small scratch marks trailing under his claws.

Damia gasped slightly and smiled, "so that is the game we're playing?" She then once again forced him down, "You may be older, but you're certainly not going to be on top Old One." She bit his nose softly.

Cyrus's lips formed a thin smiled and he threw his weight up landed on top of her, pinning her down as he kissed her neck.

Smiling Damia relaxed her body enough to slip from Cyrus's grasp. She then locked her hand to his wrist and pulled him towards her. "The rules are mine now dear..." she said softly biting the other side of his neck.

Cyrus didn't bother to try and resist. She was too stubborn to be swayed. He bit her neck and his won pants were off in a flash. Things were getting hot now, both their near naked bodies rubbed up against each other.

It was then that Damia realized how loud they were being and she flushed. "I wonder what the others are thinking..." She said softly, looking into Cyrus's eyes.

Cyrus shrugged "We could just say we were sparring" and came down on her again, kissing and biting her furiously.

She gasped loudly as her muscles quickly tightened, then relaxed as he bit her. Smiling she said breathlessly, "it wouldn't be a full lie...if you think about it..."

Cyrus laughed and looked into her eyes "You ready?" he whispered in her ear. As he pulled down her panties.

Damia looked at him and nodded "I'm ready...ready as I can be..." Looking at him she said, "are you?"

Cyrus smiled and in an instant was inside of her. He bite down hard on her neck and both their bodies were flooded with ecstasy long forgotten. He looked into her eyes, "Been a while since I've felt this good"

As they fell back on the bed Damia's back arched in pleasure-pain and a gasp escaped her lips. She leaned down and bit his neck taking more blood from his body. "Same..." She kissed his lips softly, his blood staining them. Nuzzling his face softly as she slowly moved her hips she whispered, "thank you..."

Cyrus looked at her, his face a mix of pleasure but with a slight hint of confusion to it "For what?" he asked softly, then moved close and whispered in her ear "It's my...pleasure" he said and gave her ear a nibble

She nibbled his ear, "for showing me pleasure again." She moved her hips slowly against his.

Cyrus mimicked her movements and soon they were in perfect synchronization. Doubling both their pleasure.

Damia bit down on his shoulder, causing him to bleed. She moaned loudly; there was no way that anyone could believe they were sparring now. Digging her nails into his back in pleasure, she left track marks.

Cyrus arched his back in pleasure and focused all his thought of Damia, all this sences on her, all his feelings on her. He had not felt pleasure to this extent since his wife died.

Damia could sense his emotions, his feelings, what he was experiencing and she smiled. "I'm happy I can bring you this pleasure." Damia said before kissing him with all the passion she could muster, moaning as she did; the vibrations increasing the sensations of pleasure.

Cyrus shuddered at her passion and dove down on her, kissing her wildly. "And I you..."

Whispering in his ear she said, "I know you haven't felt it in a long time...that's why I'm so glad I can give you this." Damia bit him again and again; his blood heightening her pleasure as she felt it course through her veins - joining them together physically and spiritually.

Cyrus felt their connection and strengthened his own movements, doubling, no tripling them. Both their bodies were heating up as the situation intensified

Damia was surprised by the feeling of this literal connection between them - it was something she had never experienced in her long and lonely past. "Did you feel that?" she whispered in Cyrus's ear. "I...I think we're connected now..." she said breathlessly as a moan then escaped her lips and her back arched again in pleasure.

Cyrus nodded and smiled "Oh well, I'm not complaining" He said. Then leaned in and after biting her again whispered in her ear "Are you?"

Unable to speak she shook her head slowly; the pleasure she felt kept her from forming words. She then began to feel a crescendo of pleasure forming, a slight shudder beginning to fill her body.

Cyrus felt it too, his body vibrating with hers. His body was hammered by waves of intense, sensual pleasure and he could feel his climax approaching.

Crying out in pleasure Damia bit down on Cyrus's neck full force, drawing blood and leaving a dark bruise. Breathing heavily her body seemed to tense suddenly, then relaxed slowly. Slowly moving her teeth from his lips, Damia kissed Cyrus softly re-staining his lips blood red.

Cyrus shuddered heavily in a sudden, uncontrollable moment of pure, simultaneous, ecstasy. His own body falling and relaxed as his tense muscles loosened. He held Damia close and breathed heavily.

Smiling softly Damia said, "you like?" She nuzzled his face and then gave his ear a quick nibble.

Cyrus nodded breathlessly and kissed her gently. They lay in the bed there, hot and tired.

"I'm happy...that I was able to bring you a pleasure you haven't felt in a long time...and that I felt pleasure I have never had the chance to feel..." Damia sighed contentedly. This was certainly unexpected.

Cyrus sighed. This was quickly becoming a very eventful trip. He laughed at the thought.

Damia raised her eyebrow and smiled, "what's so funny?"

Cyrus smiled and look over at her "Nothing, just this trip is becoming more and more interesting by the minute"

She laughed, "No kidding..." Damia paused, "so you're glad you came?"

Cyrus nodded and kissed her "Yes..." he whispered in her ear.

A puzzled look crossed Damia's face, "what are we going to do now...? You live...well...not here...And I'm not leaving my territory, I can't. I'm too needed here."

Cyrus nodded "I know, I'm needed back in Damascus. For more reasons than my territory..."

A frown pulled at Damia's lips and wrinkled her forehead, "what are we going to do now..." she said softly, the tiniest amount of sadness escaping from her withheld emotions.

A worried look crossed Cyrus's face and he kissed her gently "I don't know, we'll 'live' as best we can"

A look of confusion the appeared on her face, "live? What do you mean by that...?" Damia said as she began to pull the blankets over her and bringing her knees up to her chest.

Cyrus held her and smiled "Were vampires remember, we ain't exactly alive" he said with a laugh

A half smile grew on Damia's face, "true..." She looked into Cyrus's red eyes, her own red eyes betraying her calm voice; they were filled with sadness, anger and confusion, "That still doesn't answer my question Cyrus..."

Cyrus nodded "I know...But for now we must remain focused and think on other matters, the politics of vampire territories is a complicated business"

Damia nodded as well, "I know, there will be much confusion and anger at...this..." She said looking at Cyrus then herself, "and not to mention the truce."

Cyrus nodded again "Yes, there are other vampires that wish to control all the territories and will do horrid and disgraceful things to get it"

Damia snorted, "like they'd be able to manage and control my bunch. They all have one trait in commend, stubbornness." She sighed, "but I know they have...ways...of ridding them of that. They'll view this as a weakness you know..."

Cyrus nodded "Indeed, these...these animistic vampires need to be put in their place. I just hope that we can subdue them without shedding unneeded blood"

Damia shook her head, "unneeded blood will always be spilt, by both sides. No one is fully innocent."

Cyrus looked away "Yes...that is all too true"

Placing her hand on Cyrus's cheek she turned him to face her, "but we can try." She sighed, "until they do something drastic it is best to let sleeping dogs lie. No one is ready for an all out war. We haven't been for years around these parts; there has been more peace than fighting now." Damia rested her head on his chest, "This has become much more complicated..."

Cyrus's normal smile faded and he held her tightly yet gently in his muscular arms. "Don't worry, everything will be alright. We're immortal, and have a long time to make peace"

Damia shook her head, "we also have a long time to make things worse...to let things drift away. Time does that, it's unpredictable to most."

Cyrus smiled "And yet it is time that for us is the only remaining constant in our lives"

A bitter laugh escaped her lips, "isn't that ironic now." A fear then struck her to the core - if she and Cyrus were connected in some strange way, what would happen if one of them got hurt, or too far away or died...or simply left the other. For a moment, she stopped breathing.

Cyrus again looked worried "What is it?" he asked

Damia sighed, "what does this strange connection mean...for us...what will it do if...?" Her voice trailed off/

Cyrus shook his head "I don't know. I don't think it would harm us if we got too far away, however I can't say the same for if one of us was hurt in some way"

"But...what IS it in the first place? I've never felt anything like it before. Ever. And I've fucked a lot of people, and bitten a lot of people – albeit not at the same time...And not like we did..." she flushed and smiled softly.

Cyrus smiled and kissed her gently "True, that was something new"

Damia looked up at him, "even for you? What we did...this weird ass connection?"

Cyrus laughed "I meant the connection, it's new, never before felt"

Damia frowned and flushed, "I meant the vamp sex...not just the connection."

Cyrus laughed again "Well I've had sex with another vampire before"

Damia laughed, "I've been off it for awhile!" Her laugh trailed off...what if she got too emotionally attached...and...fell in love. What would he think? Would she scare him away...? Her thoughts became a jumbled mess of worry and confusion. She felt so young and stupid, like a teenager.

Cyrus smiled, what was he doing with this women, he had his own territory, his own brood, his own...he let his thought wander and began to think of another somewhat younger women

Damia looked at Cyrus's face, she could see his thoughts wander somewhere far away. Then the cruellest thought of all crossed her mind, what if she was the dreaded 'other woman'? Surely he, a handsome and charming vampire, must have someone else back home. "I...I need to go to the washroom." Damia said abruptly, worry and a premature anger crossing her face as she began to get up. She could feel a lump in her throat forming and tears burning at the corners of her eyes. What a screw up she would be if that was true!

Cyrus saw tears in her eyes and got up, grabbed her arm and turned her around "What's wrong?" he asked, very worried.

She looked into his eyes, hers full of sadness and suspicion. She didn't even need to open her mouth to let Cyrus know what she was thinking. If she did, she would cry.

Cyrus knew instantly what she was worried about and pulled her into his arms "Oh no, no you're not. Trust me. There is nobody else. I'm completely single, I haven't been with anyone else since my wife died 7 years ago"

Damia swallowed the lump in her throat and stood straight, tears still in her eyes but her voice a pseudo calm "If there is...you can tell me...I can handle it...I'd understand..." She looked away at the last word, because she knew she would understand.

Cyrus shook his head and held her tightly "No...I haven't been anyone but you since my wife died. There is no one else, I promise Damia."

A smile began to form on Damia's face and she began to hold him as well. "I'm glad...now I know I'm not making a fool of myself." She nuzzled him. "Yet...I know almost nothing about you..."

Cyrus smiled "Well what do you want to know exactly?" he asked

Damia laughed, "as much as you have time to tell me."

Zach "Ace of Spades" says:

Cyrus laughed. "Well let me think...well one thing I think you should know it that..." before he could finish his sentence the door burst open and a diminutive figure rushed in and started yelling at Cyrus.

"WHAT ON EARTH ARE YOU DOING AND WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME YOU WERE..." The small figure, who was now reviled to be a young girl was stopped midsentence by the fact that both Cyrus and Damia were completely naked. The young girl stood there, jaw hanging open for a moment, before her cheeks turned a bright shad of red and she ran out of the room screaming.

Damia was the brightest shade of red there ever was, "Cyrus...WHO IN HELLS NAME WAS THAT?!?!" She yelled as she grabbed her clothes and began to throw them on. "She is going to hate me now! I don't know who she is, but I don't want to scar a child for life!"

Cyrus stood there for a moment, dumbstruck and horrified at the same time. After a moment he looked at Damia and said simply "Damia...meet my daughter...Kira"

Damia's jaw dropped open and she turned on Cyrus. She stared him right in the face and yelled, "she is going to hate me. HATE ME! Why didn't you TELL ME she was WITH YOU IN THE CITY?!"

Cyrus threw up his hands "I DIDN'T BRING HER! She must have come by herself, I told her she couldn't come. She's only 15..."

Damia raised an eyebrow, "is she a vampire...?"

Cyrus nodded "Yes, she is 15 and her mother, my wife died when she was 8, my wife was a vampire too"

Damia shook her head, "you should have brought her along...15 year old girls are more than rebellious...they carry pure defiance."

Cyrus rolled his eyes "You have no idea, she is so much like her mother"

Damia smiled, "all teenager girls are." She sighed, "how about you go soothe her and then introduce me properly...with clothes on."

Cyrus nodded and after grabbing his clothes went downstairs.

Damia sighed and sat on the bed, waiting for Cyrus and Kira to come back. She was so nervous. She hoped the daughter liked her even a quarter as much as Cyrus did.

Cyrus walked downstairs and found Kira standing in a corner looking away from him "Kira..." he started, she flinched at his voice "Oh Kira don't be upset. It's alright, why don't you come upstairs and I can introduce you? That would be the proper thing to do" Kira slowly turned around to revel tears in her eyes, Cyrus walked over and hugged her lovingly for a while. "Alright now do you think it would be okay if we went upstairs?" he asked. Without looking up she nodded. "Okay, lets go" they walked up the stairs and into Damia's room. Kira walked quickly over, threw herself on the bed and buried her face in the pillow. Cyrus looked from her to Damia and back to her before walking over and sitting next to Damia. He gently placed a hand on Kira's back "Shhh. shhh"

Damia turned to Cyrus and said softly, "should I leave for awhile?"

Cyrus shook his head "No that's okay, I would like it if you stayed"

Damia nodded and turned to Kira, "I'm sorry for what you saw earlier Kira...I wish I knew about you before so I could have gotten to know you before anything like this happened...My name is Damia..."

Kira didn't move and Cyrus sighed "Kira please, I'd like you to meet Damia."

Shaking her head Damia said, "Don't force her. Also, we shouldn't talk as if you're not in the room Kira. From now on, I want you to be included in as much as is reasonable in things that pertain to your father and I. You were here long before me so it is only fair."

Kira still did not move. Cyrus sighed and rubbed her back like the father he was "It's okay...shhh"

Damia sat down not quite beside but not quite behind Kira and said, "Kira, would you like me to give you time alone with your Dad?"

Kira shook her head. Cyrus looked to Damia "I think Kira...that Damia would really like to get to know you. I apologize for what you saw"

"Very, very much so Kira. I would love to."

Cyrus patted Kira's back "Kira can you sit up please?" Kira nodded and sat up slowly, still looking down and not meeting either of their gazed, she sat next to Cyrus in between him and Damia. Her long crimson hair flowed down to her lower back and covered almost half of her extremely fair, smooth and blemish free face. Her right eye matched her crimson hair perfectly, however her left eye was a vibrant blue, richer that any ocean

Damia gasped, "Kira, you're gorgeous! Especially your eyes...I've never seen eyes like them in all the years I've been alive."

Kira gave a small smile in her direction and finally spoke "You're pretty too" While she spoke quietly you could tell that she had a brilliant and beautiful voice with great range

Damia smiled, "thank you...but your beauty is so...unique. Which makes it all the better."

Kira blushed and looked down, hiding a smile Cyrus tilted his head "Is that a smile I see?" he said with a smile Kira shook her head and resisted the urge to smile again.

Damia's smile widened, "thank you not hating me Kira. Your soul and heart are obviously as beautiful as your face."

Kira smiled opened and Cyrus's face followed suit. "Ah it's okay hun." he said as he hugged her. She hugged him back and Cyrus gestured for Damia to join

Damia joined in the hug awkwardly, since she wasn't sure if Kira accepted her that far yet. She knew very well with teen girls that, that could take a long time.

Kira surprised them both by hugging Damia tightly and burying her face in her chest.

Damia's eyes widened out surprise but then she hugged Kira back just as hard, kissing the top of her head. She looked up at Cyrus and mouthed 'wow'.

Cyrus looked just as surprised and shrugged, smiled and put his arms around the both of them. Kira still hid her face in Damia's chest and suddenly started crying.

Damia pulled Kira closer and said softly, "oh sweetie, don't cry..." She then began to sing very softly: "A little fairy comes at night, her eyes are blue, her hair is brown, with silver spots upon her wings, and from the moon she flutters down. She has a little silver wand, which she waves from left to right and makes the child safe and loved throughout the day and night."

Cyrus rocked them both back and forth and soon Kira was asleep. Cyrus gently lifted her up and lay her down on the bed. He whispered to Damia "I think that song reminded hr of the lullaby her mother used to sing to her when she was a child, I hope you don't mind if she uses your bed"

Damia shook her head, "not at all. She needs to rest." She smiled, "She is such a darling. You've done well."

Cyrus blushed slightly "She is so much like her mother...she misses her a lot."

Nodding Damia said, "much so...and as a teenage girl, she not only misses her, but wants to talk to her as well...about things only a girl would understand." Looking at Cyrus she said, "she's lonely...she doesn't have many best friends does she?"

Cyrus nodded "Oh she has friends. She really is the leader of them all" he said with a laugh "But your right...she doesn't connect well with them...I think she needed a women to hold her...I think you remind her of her mother"

Damia looked startled, "Me? How?"

Cyrus laughed and walked down the stairs "I don't know, I think she just wanted to feel like her mother was huging her again. You reminded her of that...thank you"

Damia shook her head slowly, "it's ok...Don't thank me. I was happy too..." Looking at Cyrus she said, "Kira loves you so much...it would devastate her to lose you - that's why she wanted to come with you so badly." Pausing Damia said, "You shouldn't be fighting any wars."

Cyrus looked surprised and a little hurt by her words "Do you think I enjoy fighting or killing others?"

He turned and looked at her "Do you think I like having to carry around all these weapons? Or to leave my only daughter in a fortress with 50 guards and still worry about her when I'm not there? Do you think I like being good at killing?!" he said and walked away

Damia flinched at his words and then said softly, "I didn't say that...I meant so that you wouldn't get hurt" her voice then raised slightly "...or even worse, killed!"

Cyrus looked back at her and lifted his shirt, reviling an array of scars that crisscrossed his entire chest, arms, back and that ran all across his legs as well. Damia hadn't noticed before due to the fact that they had been a little preoccupied "I have been hurt Damia, and every time I leave the little girl alone I think about what would happen to her if I didn't come back"

Damia walked closer to him, "then don't leave to fight Cyrus. If the war comes to you, then fight it." Damia turned slowly to go walk up the stairs and said very softly, "I'm going to go see Kira...I can't force you to stay at home, but maybe if you look into her sleeping face tonight, you'll see why."

Cyrus had more to say but thought it best to leave her alone for now. He did think about her, he was not the one waging the wars he fought. Cyrus had not told Damia yet that his territory was under constant seige and had for the past 30 years been fighting a coalition of territories all united to destroy him and his allies. The war was coming to him. And all he fought for was lying up on the bed

Damia turned towards him before she reached the top of the stairs, "my territory will fight along side yours now. I control it, no matter what the law says, this territory is mine." She then moved silently through to where Kira was sitting. Once in the room she lay beside Kira on the bed, and pulled Kira close to her own body while she slept.

Cyrus stared up the staris for a while, then looked down and said to himself "And I only wish it to stay that way..." He turned and walked out the front door to the night outside

Damia heard the door shut and flinched a little as it did, a single tear falling from her eye as she closed them. Pulling Kira closer she sang her lullaby softly until they both fell asleep.

Cyrus walked a few steps before unfurling his broad wings and flying high into the sky, as he took off the sky shook and lightning split the sky. Soon after a blanket of rain covered Cyrus. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath and flew on.

Even as she slept Damia could feel Cyrus move further and further away. She could almost feel the rain on her in her dreams. She shivered, a tiny whimper escaping her mouth, and pulled Kira to her, even in her sleep she was careful to not wake her or crush her.

Cyrus felt a sudden flash of sadness and knew that Damia had whimpered, he thought for a while then turned around and flew back to the house.

As Cyrus began to come closer, Damia's body relaxed and the feeling or ice cold rain diminished. Both she and Kira remained asleep.

Cyrus opened the door and walked up the stairs. Quietly he opened the door to Damia's room and closed it behind him. Walking over to the bed and took off his coat, the rest was mostly dry. He gently lay down beside Damia and held both her and Kira softly. "I'm sorry..." he whispered.

Damia woke up as Cyrus spoke, "It's ok..." She smiled softly, "I'm not mad...but you left the house so...upset. I had no idea where you were going to go in this storm. And if Kira woke up and I couldn't tell her where you had run off to..."

Cyrus shuddered at the thought of Kira or Damia being alone "I'm so sorry.." he said softly

Damia slowly slid her arm out from under Kira, who was fast asleep, and turned to face Cyrus, "Cyrus, it's ok. Don't worry now that you're back." She kissed his nose and then said softly, "She's exhausted..."

Cyrus nodded as he put his arms around her "I know...she must have followed my scent all the way from Damascus!"

Damia smiled, "quite the tracker you have." Pausing Damia said quietly, "what are we going to do when she wakes up? What blood type does she prefer?"

Cyrus smiled "She is just like her mother, and has a rare taste AB-"

Nodding Damia said, "We have some of that in the freezer. That is the best we can do, fresh blood is on hold for awhile here until the crime rate is up. Innocents don't die."

Cyrus nodded "A nobel move, most of my territory is supplied by the blood banks. Some of us lead lives as normal people, and those normal people have very good jobs in some very opportune places. Of course that's easy when most of the city is under your control" he said with a quiet laugh

Damia shrugged, "It's only fair, we live in what is technically their city so we care for their crime rate. That and I don't want to drain their blood banks. When a human loses too much blood they die. That is why they have blood banks; to save each other. Not feed us."

Cyrus nodded "True, that is why we only use the blood banks when the crime rate is too low, and that is very rare in Damascus..."

Damia yawned, "it's close to dawn. We should all sleep. I have a feeling the night a head is going to be a busy one."

Cyrus nodded and gently kissed Damia's lips "Yes, we should rest. There is much to discuss tomorrow night. May the darkness guide you." he said softly as he closed his eyes and slept.

Damia woke before Cyrus and Kira. She moved quietly and grabbed a fresh set of clothes and headed to the shower. She needed to get cleaned up for the trouble that was sure to brew. As Damia walked into the bathroom she took off her clothes and looked at all of her bite marks and scratches. A small laugh and a smiled escaped her lips. Damia stepped into the shower and let the hot, steamy water flow across her back and shoulders, soaking her ebony hair.

Cyrus remained asleep. And his night had been restlessly filled with strange dreams and nightmares; nightmares of war, and loss, and dreams of love and family. And while his body did not stir, his mind was ablaze with a thousand possibilities for the future.

Damia got out of the shower, dried herself off and then put her fresh clothes back on; a long sleeved, lightweight white cotton button up shirt and a pair of dark navy skinny jeans. As she dried her hair and looked into her room her eyes landed on the sleeping Cyrus; she felt a pang of loss, fear, worry and wonder. Damia quickly went over and touched Cyrus gently on the shoulder, "Cyrus, are you ok?

Cyrus stirred and like always awoke suddenly, not tired and with no middle ground. One second asleep the next awake. "Oh hey, good evening". He looked around the room and back at Kira who was still asleep "She's so tired" he said with a compassionate smile.

Damia looked directly at Cyrus. "What were you dreaming about Cy? It didn't feel...like a good dream." She touched the side of his face, and then gently did the same to Kira, "was it about her and me...?"

Cyrus shook his head "I never remember my dreams, I only remember that I had them"

"They certainly didn't feel like good dreams Cy." She rested her head against his, "you may remember in time," Damia sighed, "let's get some food ok?"

Cyrus shook his head "I never remember my dreams, I only remember that I had them"

"They certainly didn't feel like good dreams Cy." She rested her head against his, "you may remember in time," Damia sighed, "let's get some food ok?"

Cyrus nodded "Yes indeed, I'm starving" he said with a grin. Gathering up his clothes and weapons he wrote Kira a note, left it on the bedside table and kissed her head before opening the door holding it open for Damia

Damia smiled and went downstairs, and then downstairs again. "The blood is in the basement. You stay up here ok? What's your favourite flavour? I know Kira is AB-, so I'll bring up some of that. Mine is O -..."

Cyrus smiled "I like O- too. Kira acquired her mother's taste" He walked around the house and explored it while he waited.

Damia smiled, "from what you say, she's a lot like her mother." She turned down the stairs and went to the cold room where rows upon rows of blood, all sorted into its various types were. Damia grabbed two bags of O- and one bag of AB-. "There we go..." She said softly as she shut the deep freeze door and went upstairs. "Back!"

Cyrus turned and accepted the bag from her, "Now I think we should get down to the business that I actually came here to do. We got a little sidetracked" he said with a laugh, and sat down in an armchair in a corner.

Damia passed him a bag of O - as she put Kira's bag in the fridge upstairs and left a note on it saying it was for her. "She'll sniff her way to it, this way she knows she can take it." Damia smiled and bit into her own bag, slowly draining it, small dribbles of blood staining her lips and tracing crimson lines from the corners of her mouth to her chin.

Cyrus was for more delicate and split the top of his bag open with one of his retraceable claws, and slowly poured the blood into his mouth and swashed it in his mouth for a moment before swallowing it and exhaling heavily, eyes closed.

Damia pulled the now empty bag from her mouth and blushed as she grabbed a rag and wiped the blood from her face, "sorry about that...I really never had to think about manners before. Besides my fairly absent mother I grew up in a world of male vampires...all of which never saw tidy eating as a priority. They taught me how to fight and my eating habits..." She flushed.

Cyrus laughed "I understand, I was raised by a noble family so you can see where the overused manners come from, a noble British family in 1688. Do the math" he sat up straight and his smiled faded "And now to business, now are there any questions off the bat that you have about my brood?"

Damia blinked, that one she hadn't seen coming. "Um...anything you want to tell me really. I'm not sure what sort of question I would ask about them..."

Cyrus tilted his head "Well things like territory size, number of vampires in you're brood etc..."

Damia laughed, "well then, tell me how big, how many; male, female, children...all the details!"

Cyrus smiled "Approximately 880 Square miles of city land, and about 700 miles outside of the city, only about 150 square miles of the city are out of my control. In total the knights have over 3000 members with about a 50/50 split between male and female. As for my own brood discounting me and Kira there are 50 vampires that I personally infected and trained"

Damia raised her eyebrows, "you've changed people...? What...what does it FEEL like....? I've never had the chance to..."

Cyrus smiled "Well it's...interesting...and not by any means easy" he added. "It takes a lot of concentration and there is great risk if not done properly"

"Why?" Damia said looking directly into his eyes, "why did you change them from their human form? I mean, for most people a human life is one they'd prefer to live...." Looking away she added, "Besides, your brood is already so large..." In her head Damia added, I don't see how my brood can help yours fight.

Cyrus's smiled fade "I offered them the chance, and most of them came to me. Many had backward lives and had nothing to lose, they are genuinely happy with their new lives"

Damia nodded, "that makes sense then...." She got up and kissed Cyrus's forehead. "Then you're doing well. My brood is much, much smaller than yours is. We live on about 50 square miles and only have about 87 members, about a 60/40 female to male ratio. No children yet, but I have a feeling with that high female to male ratio there may be...How this small amount of vamps managed to earn me a major title is beyond me...."

Cyrus laughed "Well I think it says something about your brood, good quality vampires, or so I've seen so far" he said with a smile

Damia flushed, "you haven't had the chance to meet more than one for a moment. Well, two, John is now going to join my brood, you've met my other most recent joiner Serena - she's training under me...you've met Cameron...well...he is from the East...."

Then, changing the subject Damia said, "when are you planning on returning home Cy...?" This question had been gnawing at her since after they screwed.

Cyrus shrugged "Well I need to be back within the week, it is very difficult keeping 3000 vampires under control, you should give it a try sometime" he said with a laugh

Damia smiled, "I'm afraid I'm happy with this size for now. Besides, I have no one set up to take care of this brood if I were to leave. That is why I'm training Serena...but she is still so new..." Damia looked away. Not only was she tied to her land by choice, but by need as well.

Cyrus smiled and kissed her head "It's okay, when you get to be my age you'll know what it's like to know too many people. And to forget them half the time" he said with a laugh.

Damia flushed, she felt so young again. She didn't like feeling so naive, it irked her. "So far, I haven't forgotten anyone's face. My mind never seems to get full of faces..."

Cyrus nodded "I see, well having been born in the 1600's I know what it's like to see faces come and go. Not exactly the best hygiene in those days" he said with a laugh "But New Amsterdam was actually quite nice. It's really a nice place to see"

Damia smiled, "really? I've never been there. I've been to Bradford, where I was born and changed, I once lived in Ireland, but I stood out too much; not ginger enough." A small laugh escaped her lips. "That is what I now live here, in town of Douglas...in the Isle of Man." Damia sighed, "I love this little place that is why I have no urge to leave. No one complains."

Cyrus nodded "Yes...It's simpler here...quiet...secluded. Sometimes I wish Damasucs was like that." he said, a sad look crossed his face and filled his crimson eyes.

Damia cocked her head to the left, "Cy...what's wrong? Tell me....Please?" Damia got up and Cyrus's face to meet hers.

Cyrus shook his head "Nothing really, Damascus is an amazing place to live, but...there always exists in the minds of the people that another brood is going to attack, A constant fear in a way."

Damia nodded, "sometimes it is easier to go unnoticed. But Cy...our little brood is here at your side. If you ever need to get away or send a vamp or two here, it is fine with me."

A small smile formed on his lips "Thank you, I speak for me and my clan when I say your support is appreciated greatly."

Looking away Damia said, "I know that we can't do that much, leaving the Isle isn't smart for my new vamps. None of them are good for fighting...."

Cyrus nodded "I know, I wouldn't think to ask you of that, however should any of my vampires ever need refuge, may I count on a safe haven for them to exist here?"

Smiling Damia said, "Of course. Anytime...especially Kira. This place would be one of the safest around..."

Cyrus smiled and kissed her hand. "Thank you Damia, it's good to know that my only family has a safe place to come should anything happen to me" His eyes darted to the stairs "Kira's up...and she found the blood...and now it's gone" he said with a laugh.

Damia laughed, "I'm assuming she liked it then? We should go see her before the others are sure to arrive to discuss our territories truce...and well....yea..."

Cyrus nodded "Yes I think a meeting should be called, It would be a good idea to announce my brood's intentions in these parts, as best as I can to all the neighbouring brood leaders."

"What are your broods intentions Cy...? What are your intentions?" She said quietly.

Cyrus smiled "To make peace and to offer the leaders a chance to make any alliances or announce any stance they would like to take"

Damia turned away and said in an even softer voice, "I mean with me...what are your intentions with me....?"

Cyrus was surprised "I...I don't know...I have to leave within the week, can be a long flight back to Damascus. It's in Germany. Kira must have realized where I flew and took a ferry; she is too young to fly"

Damia gave a quick nod, "Ok." Damia quickly turned and began to head upstairs, "I'm going to go say hi to Kira."

Cyrus nodded and looked down "I'm sorry..." he whispered

Damia didn't see him nod, and tried to push the apology from her mind. She knocked on 'Kira's' door and said, "Hey Kira. How are you tonight? Feel any better?"

Kira opened the door slowly and let her in. Her red eye was slightly glowing and a trickle of blood ran down from her mouth. "Hey..." she said quietly

Damia smiled, "You eat like me, very messy." Smiling Damia said, "I think it tastes better that way though."

Kira shrugged and sat back down on 'her' bed, not meeting her eyes

Damia sat down beside Kira, "You ok Kira?" Damia wrapped her arm around Kira's shoulders

Kira lightly shifted so Damia's arm fell off her shoulders. She was still not meeting Damia's gaze and was slightly hiding in the long crimson hair that fell in front of her face.

Damia looked away as well. Oh how she hated awkward moments. "Are you mad at me Kira?"

Kira shook her head and said quietly "no..." even in the morning, or rather evening she was very beautiful, not a single blemish on her skin.


	2. Chapter 2

Damia looked directly at Kira, "What's wrong then....? Are you afraid...?"

Kira shook her head and frowned "I'm not afraid!" she practically yelled. Downstairs Cyrus's ears twitched at her outburst, but he decided to let them have their time and went back to polishing one of his short swords. Kira crossed her arms and looked away

Damia moved a little closer again and rested her hand on Kira's shoulder, "Then what's wrong? Or is it too personal to share with me?"

Kira finally decided to let it out and tell her everything "I know you're not going to take my daddy away from me, since I'm taking him back to Damasucs with me, but...mommy...."

Damia nodded, "I'm staying here, and you most of all are welcome any time...what about your mommy?"

"Mother...she's gone...and I...I..." Kira began to say, tears starting to form in her crimson and cobalt eyes.

"You miss her, and want to talk to her, ask her things." She squeezed Kira's hand, "you want to know what she would think of what your dad is doing."

Kira held her hand up to her mouth and tears started to flow down her face "Yes!...Oh Damia...I miss her!" she yelled, throwing her head once again into Damia's chest. Sobbing she said "I miss her...and want to ask her things...I want to talk to her!..."

Damia pulled Kira closer to her and said, "No one can replace her, or give the same advice she would, and I know that talking to your dad about some things would simply be awkward for both of you...but you can take comfort in knowing that she is watching over you, and smiling." Damia stroked Kira's hair, "and, you can ask me things..."

Kira shook her head in Damia's chest. "Okay..." she whispered softly

"I'm sorry she died Kira...your mother sounded like an amazing vampire." She kissed the top of Kira's head, "if you want, you can have a shower or bath in the room across the hall. And I do believe that I have some clothes that will fit you, if you want to change."

Kira nodded, and pulled her face away, wiped her tears and gave Damia a hug "Thank you...." she said and darted for the shower

Damia smiled softly and then got up and went to one of her dressers. She searched through her drawers until she came across a high waited red pencil skirt with tiny blue flowers on it. She also pulled a button-up, short sleeved, blue silk top, that matched the blue in the flowers, that had black lace on the sleeves. Damia also pulled out a pair of black flats. She laid them out on the bed for Kira. Then she headed downstairs to see Cyrus.

Kira ran the shower and was relived to feel the warm water on her body. Downstairs Cyrus had been polishing his short sword and now was reading some writing that was carved into the blade of the long sword.

Damia walked up behind Cyrus silently, watching him read the sword. "What does it say?" She said touching him shoulder gently.

Cyrus looked up at her and smiled "This sword was the former leader of the Vampire Knights, it's over 200 years old...The writing reads "May thee whom possess me be ever guarded by the light within that which is dark"

Cyrus's eyes had a nostalgic look and he ran his fingers over the old writing. It was written in a form of text no longer used

Damia watched Cyrus become lost in the words. Suddenly, the corners of her senses twanged. "Someone is here to talk to us. A female." Damia said. "I hope all she wants is to talk." Point up the stairs Damia said in a very stern voice, "Go make sure the Kira is going to be changed in time, I set clothes out for her. Just knock on the bathroom door." This was Damia's turf, it was her turn to take change.

Cyrus nodded and threw the long sword on his back as he walked up the stairs. He went into Damia's room and knocked on the bathroom door "Kira? You need to get dressed, now please" He said and walked out, closing the door behind him

"Okay!" Kira said from the bathroom as she dried her hair

A knock was then heard at the door. Damia was over in less than a second. Opening the door she said, "Welcome Visitor." Her jaw nearly dropped when she saw who it was. It was the most well known and powerful head vampire, Demaria from THE Russian Territory. Her and Damia had met once, they had hit it off fairly well. Damia smiled and said warmly, "Demaria, if I had known it was you coming I would have been much happier!" Damia gave a small bow.

"Damia, it has been a long time! You've grown. You look wiser and healthier. Responsibility has suited you..." She embraced Damia briefly. "But, sadly, I'm not here to simply rekindle our friendship..." Demaria's face sobered.

Cyrus walked calmly down the stairs and saw Demaria "Ah Demaria, It's been too long, I haven't seen you since I began my hibernation"

Demaria turned to see Cyrus, happy was not an emotion on her face. "Cyrus. I hope you don't break her heart as you did mine." Demaria said bitterly, her accent making it sound even harsher. A confused and very unimpressed look spread across Damia's face. "Cyrus, you also know you broke a law do you not? Any contact between the Isle of Man and Damasucs was supposed to go through me."

Demaria turned to Damia, "Damia darling, you wouldn't have had the chance to be told this. Your adoptive vampire mother never had the chance to tell you, and when we met it slipped my mind. Forgive me for my mistake?"

Damia nodded, "of course I will Demaria. No harm has been done." She smiled as Demaria treated her as more than an equal, but a friend.

"But, since a law has been broken, a punishment must be set into action. I'm not in control of what the punishments are; but since the war fought between your two territories was a great one, the punishment is also that. One of you must," Demaria paused, "have both arm wrapped in silver chains and spend a day out in the sun." Demaria's face looked pained when she said this.

Cyrus immediately stepped in "I'll do it" he made no other statements, just simply stood tall and fully ready top accept the punishment instead of Damia

Damia glared at Cyrus. "Cy, you have a daughter, she can't watch that happen to you! You're the most important person in the world to her....I'll do it." She glared at Cyrus. "And before you protest, although you may be older than me, and have more power, these are my lands so what I say goes. I'm taking this punishment - not you." Damia stepped forward and looked directly at Demaria, "When do we start?"

Demaria nodded, "sunrise. I have the silver chains with me; they're in an iron box outside." Turning to Cyrus Demaria simply nodded.

Cyrus grabbed Damia's arm "You know perfectly well I would be less harmed by the punishment and on top of that it was my decision to come here without the approval of Demaria"

Damia just looked at Cyrus, "I'm doing this for Kira, Cy. Not you. Also, I'm the one who was naive enough to let you into Douglas without a second word. Moves like that are dangerous." Damia paused, "the other vampire you slept with was Demaria wasn't it? She was pissed at you for something."

Cyrus looked down and shook his head "This isn't right, I can't let you do this to yourself Damia!..Please...don't make me see this..."

Raising an eyebrow Damia said, "Then don't watch. I don't want Kira to be able to see...or hear...anything when this is happening." She turned away, "Am I right about Demaria? Are you the one who broke her heart?"

Cyrus shook his head "It's hard to explain, I was with her long before you were even born! And I did leave in a rather poor way...but by vampire standards I was still young"

"Why didn't you tell me she was the other vampire you'd slept with? It would have been nice to know, so I could have been a little more humble when she showed up."

Cyrus shrugged "It happened before you were even born! And I haven't seen or heard from her in over 60 years, I didn't think she was still holding a grudge!" he said

"Women do that. Holding grudges is what we're best at when our hearts get broken." She sighed and looked at her watch. "Oh how the time does fly. 3 hours until sunrise." She swallowed.

Cyrus took her hands and held them tightly "Damia...please don't do this...please...I beg of you don't...." he said, looking into her eyes

Damia shook her head, "Kira would die if you got hurt; and it would be partially my fault. I can't let her see that. She cannot be awake when this happens." Damia rested her head against his chest, "please, don't try to take my place. And keep Kira out of eye and ear shot."

Cyrus shook his head "DAMIA PLEASE!!....don't do this...." he said softly, pulling her into his arms

Shaking her head again Damia said, "No Cy. You KNOW I'm right on this one...as much as you hate it." She pulled herself closer to him, inhaling the comforting scent of blood and Cyrus's natural scent.

Cyrus pulled her even closed and held her tight "....how can I let you do this..."

"Because you need to. For more than the reason that what I say in my territory goes." She sighed; time was flying, one more hour. She could feel her muscles tensing and her stomach churning. "We'd...I'd...better find Demaria...start getting things on order..." Damia said, slowly moving herself away. Tears forming in her eyes. "Please..." She said softly, "Don't you or Kira watch...don't let her hear either."

Cyrus shook his head "No no no no....no...Please....." tears welling in his own eyes

"Cyrus, I need to go now..." Pulling away Damia began to go after Demaria, whom she found in a minute.

"Damia," Demaria said with some surprise, "I was just coming to find you. It's time..." Her voice drifted off into a sad silence. She put on some thick leather gloves as they walked out to a sun room, where they could just see the sun peaking over the horizon. "Damia, come here. I need to put these on you."

Damia walked over slowly, as if walking through wet sand, and as soon as the silver touched her wrist she winced. As more and more began to touch her skin, she screamed. Damia could feel it burning and melting her skin away.

"You're brave Damia," Demaria said softly. "Stupid, but brave."

Cyrus squandered his tears and hurried upstairs, he knocked on the door and after Kira told his she was dressed he quickly entered and grabbed her, "C'mon Kira, we need to leave for a little while"

"But why?" she asked Cyrus shook his head

"We just do alright, now follow me and cover your ears and eyes" Kira did as she was told but was still curious and was not going to let this go later.

Cyrus led her to the roof where the sun was just about to rise, gathered her up in his arms and quickly flew to a nearby church tower, where he sat with her.

Damia could feel the sun burning at her eyes the most. Even though they were shut, as the sun rose, her nocturnal eyes felt as if they were being ripped apart by the sun. Her skin felt like it was on fire. She could tell, an hour in, that even before it hit noon, she would be burnt. Tears came from the corner of her eyes as another scream tore out of her mouth; ringing across the entire city.

Cyrus pressed his hands light against Kira's ears so she wouldn't hear, however he himself had no protecting and was subjected to Damia's horrible screams. Being over 300 years old made his ears unimaginably sensitive, he was able to hear the heartbeat of a cockroach in the basement of the church form the tower's top. He shut his eyes tight as the screams flooded his ears and infiltrated his mind

Once the sun set Damia fell to her knees as Demaria quickly took off the silver chains and carried Damia to an ice-water bath. As Demaria lowered Damia into the bath she began to add more ice; as soon as Damia's body touched the water, a slight 'hiss' noise was heard. Her face and arms, which were bare to the sun, were badly burnt; a deep, dark shade of red. Where the silver chains were her skin was wither black or gone.

Damia shivered in the water, her eyes still shut. "Cyrus...?" She said in a soft, weak and almost inaudible voice.

Cyrus heard her even from the tower and immediately grabbed Kira, folded her up in his arms, completely shielding her as he flash flew through the sun momentarily and was inside the building within 3 seconds, he dropped Kira in 'her' room, and locked the door before running to Damia's side, he rounded the corner and upon seeing her fell to his knees "...D....Damia....."

"Does Kira know?" Damia said softly. "How bad do I look?" Damia still hadn't opened her eyes. "Can someone shut off the bathroom light?"

Demaria got up and shut it off, and then Damia opened her eyes slowly into the welcoming darkness.

Cyrus cold still see her and after socking his hands in the water for a few seconds gently put his hand in her's. "I...I'm here....Kira doesn't know....I..."

Demaria got up, "I have to go, I can't bear to watch this..." She put down a box of ointments beside Cyrus. "Put these on her skin. It will help it heal...I'm going to bring up this...torture to the law makers. It can't happen again." With that, Demaria was gone.

Damia smiled at Cyrus's touch, "I can see you in the dark. My eyes...they hurt so much in the sun. The silver..." Damia lifted her wrist up as high as she could, trying to see it, "it burnt so bad..."

Cyrus nodded slowly; he held her hand gently, resisting the overwhelming urge to squeeze. Fighting back tears he said softly "I'm sorry...I'm so sorry..." after that he could no longer contain it and burst into tears.

"Oh Cy, don't worry. I'll be ok." Damia shiver slightly in the cold water, it felt good. "I'm sure I'll heal soon..." Pausing she asked in the same quiet voice, "How long should it take...? I've never had this bad of sun burn..." Damia's voice began to drift away

Cyrus wanted to answer her, but could bear to lift his head to glimpse at her sun damages body. "I'm sorry" is all he could say.

A small glare shot across Damia's face, "what's that supposed to mean? I AM going to not be deformed right?" Damia started to get restless then. She enjoyed her beauty. Having that attribute taken away scared her. Being pretty helped her get out of and into many important situations.

Cyrus shook his head "No...you're going to be fine. No permanent damage..."

Damia calmed a little, still shifting in pain. I'm not fully burnt. Just my face and arms...The long sleeves didn't protect against the sun..."

Cyrus nodded "I know...Damia imp so sorry, this is all my fault, I should have taken it, I should never have come here, If I hadn't then this would have never happened..."

Damia slowly and painfully lifted a finger to touch his lips, "the only thing you did wrong was not telling Demaria..." She paused and inhaled slowly, "I'm happy you came here..." A small smile spread across Damia's face, causing her lips to crack and bleed. "Damn..." She said softly.

Cyrus burst into a half laugh half cry and lowered his head after a moment and his tears resumed. "I had to cover Kira's ears so I didn't have anything to cover my own so I...I...I heard you as if you were screaming in my ear..." he said softly

"Oh God...I'm sorry Cy...I thought you didn't...that you couldn't..." Damia could feel the pain her was feeling, it tore her up inside. "Cy, I think it is time to get out of the water...and some ointments on" She looked down at the water, it had blood in it and she could feel her skin drying out. "Help me get out Cy? I'll need help changing too..."

Cyrus nodded, and wiped his nose. He positioned himself to lift her up and said "This is going to hurt a lot, but it's going to hurt for less time if I do this fast, but that will make it hurt more. Ready?" he asked

Damia nodded and bit down on her lip, "I'm ready..." She closed her eyes tightly.

Cyrus lifted her p out of the water and onto the nearby bed as fast as he could and as gently as he could. He winced as he felt her skin cracking when he moved her

Damia could feel her skin crack and she winced. "Ointments...?" She asked softly. "Anything to make it stop hurting and cracking..." Tears began to fall down her face as she felt blood come from the cracks in her skin.

Cyrus quickly grabbed the ointments and started rapidly applying them "I'm sorry" he said as he worked, tears in his own eyes

"It's ok..." Damia said softly. "I have some loose nightgowns hanging up in my closet in Kira's room...get one...please? I need to change out of these clothes..." She coughed softly, "before you leave, help me get my shirt and pants off, my bra and underwear can stay on..." Her clothes were beginning to bug her skin.

Cyrus nodded and helped her remove her clothes. Then left to fetch the nightgown, a solemn look on his face as he left the room. As soon as he unlocked the door Kira was yelling at him "DAD!! What's going on! Tell me!! please!!!" Cyrus didn't answer just said on his way out "Stay here Kira" and closed the door and went back to Damia

The difference between skin color was amazing; light ivory to deep red. The majority of her body wasn't hurt by the sun at all. Only her arms neck and face. Damia could feel the creams moisturizing her dry cracked arms, face and lips. She closed her eyes softly, only opening them when Cyrus came into the darkened room. "Cy?"

Cyrus nodded and said softly "Yes it's me, keep your eyes closed" and applied a little bit of ointment to her eyelids

As Cyrus applied the ointment to her eyelids Damia sighed with relief. "Now to just put on the nightgown..." She said softly. "Don't be harsh with Kira...She's only curious. When you think is ready you can tell her what happened, or bring her to see me..." Damia said softly.

Cyrus nodded "Alright..." he said solemnly

He had not said much since it happened and was not exactly in the bests of moods to do so

Damia opened her eyes slowly and the leaned over and gave Cyrus a soft hug, "If not meeting you meant I wouldn't have to go through this, I wouldn't change it for the world."

Cyrus looked at her, his eyes were not only their natural red, but completely bloodshot, as tears flowed from them. "I..."

Damia kissed his cheek softly, barely brushing her lips against them, "I don't regret it Cy..."

Cyrus nodded "I'm sorry....I let this happen..."

Damia gave her head a small shake, "It was my choice Cy. Mine. Not yours. But...how long should this take to heal?" Just then, her tummy rumbled. "Oh dear..."

Cyrus laughed slightly "It shouldn't take more than a few days. I'll get you some blood, O+ right?"

Damia gave her head a small shake "O NEGATIVE silly. It's all in the basement, categorized by type."

Cyrus nodded on his way out "I know I know"

He walked down to the blood bank and grabbed her and him bags of O- blood and quickly brought them back up to her

Damia could smell the blood as soon as Cyrus started to walk up the stairs. She felt her mouth water as the scent got stronger. "So...thirsty..."

Cyrus opened a bag for her and gently poured it into her mouth "There you go, drink, it will help you heal faster:"

Damia could feel the blood circulating in her system. A contented sigh escaped her lips as she felt them become less cracked.

Cyrus smiled at her and gave her the most gentle kiss he could

Damia's red eyes lit up again, "thank you for staying Cy..." She said softly.

Cyrus smiled and nodded "My pleasure"

Damia turned over and fell asleep.

The next morning, Damia woke, her skin more dry than the night before, but less painful. She could see that her skin had bled during the night. Her skin was less red as well. "Cy...?" She said, louder than the night before. "Cyrus where are you?"

Cyrus jumped awake from the chair he was sleeping on next to her bed "What what? What's wrong?!" he said, his eyes wide open. He looked around the room rapidly and after a moment calmed down. "Are you okay?"

Damia turned towards Cyrus and winced as she braced herself on her cracked and burnt hands, straining her sore arm muscles as she pushed herself up to a sitting position. "Did you sleep there all night Cyrus?" She winced as she continued to hold herself up on her arms, "How's Kira?" Damia asked. Her maternal instinct had kicked in.

Cyrus nodded at the first question "Yeah I slept here, just in case you needed anything. Kira's just fine. She wants to see you, I told her about it"

Damia gave a small smile, "then bring her in, if that's ok with you. And if I'm not too much of a fright. Of course, I think i may want to get washed, changed and lotioned up first..." Damia said, looking at herself.

Cyrus nodded and helped her apply the lotion and put on clothes as gently as he could, then left and soon returned with Kira, who as soon as the door was opened rushed into the room and fell to the floor next to her bed "Oh my God Damia are you okay?!" she asked.

"Kira, I'll be fine in a few days...right now though, I hurt like hell." She sighed, "this is what happens if you're out in the sun for too long." She held up her wrist, "and this is what happens when you come in contact with silver...Let these be a lesson to you in safety; don't do anything foolish..." Pausing Damia said, "Kira, do you want to know why this happened? If, it is ok with your father of course." Damia said, looking directly at Cyrus.

Cyrus nodded.

Damia let out a sigh, "A law was broken. Your fathers territory, Damacus, and the Isle on Man, my whole territory; which is not just the City of Douglas as I once thought, were not suposed to have contact unless it went through the head vampire Demaria, from Russia." Damia paused to catch her breath, she was much stronger than the night before. "Our territories had a huge war a long time ago, and were still angry at each other, until your father came, directly to me, and called a truce...you see the problem of that right?"

I don't blame your father, not in the least, so nor should you Kira."

Kira looked down and thought for a minute. "Okay..." she said after a while "I see now...and Damia?...I know what happened when Vampires come into contact with silver and the sun..." she said solemnly

"But have you ever seen it up close Kira? This is my first time and I am a great deal older than you..."

Damia said softly

Cyrus gently put his hand on Damia's shoulder and shook his head. Kira lowered her head and looked unimaginably sad, tears started to well up in her eyes

A look of confusion then realization flashed across Damia's face. She quickly pressed her hand over her mouth. She regretted that moment in an instant as a sharp pain ran through her arm, hands and lips. Small cracks formed, blood drops coming from them. She winced and whimpered slightly. "Oh Kira. I'm sorry! I...oh in hells name I'm sorry." She turned away, slowly this time, only causing a minor amount of pain.

Kira started crying and Cyrus eased her into his arms and carried her to 'her' room. Then came back and sat on the chair next to Damia's bed. "It's okay...you didn't know..."

Damia shook her head slowly. "You go to Kira Cyrus. I need to be alone for a minute. She needs you now, not me...." Her voice trailed off.

Cyrus shook his head "No...this has happened before, she just needs a few minutes...I never told you how her mother died did I?"

"No...but regardless Cy...I would like a moment to myself...please?" Damia said softly.

Cyrus nodded "Alright..." he said and walked to the door, on his way out he added "You've done nothing wrong..." and left

Damia just sat there, motionless. This was becoming very complicated, and she kept fucking up with Kira. Insensitive, insensitive, INSENSITIVE! she chided herself, angry and herself for being so, so thoughtless. She sighed and got up slowly and painfully, her bare feet stinging with each step. A small whimper was about to escape her lips, but she bit her tong as she walked to what was now Kira's room. Slowly placing her hand on the knob she opened it. "I'm so sorry for what I said Kira...I didn't think before I spoke..." She said, sitting down beside Kira, simply happy to be off her feet.

Kira was already wiping her tears but she was still shaking a little

"I didn't know..." Damia said softly, "I'm sorry but I didn't know...I've heard of plenty of young vampires get reckless and bold, thinking they could survive the sun, or in an act of defiance against a parent...I...I just didn't want one of them to be you."

Kira nodded "I know..." she said. Kira was truly fine now, just a little shocked, as it had always been. Downstairs Cyrus sat in his chair with a confused look on his face, he could somehow...feel...Damia's regret

A small smile graced Damia's lips. "do you forgive me Kira? Me and my big mouth?" She said hopefully.

Kira smiled and nodded "Yeah, I'm sorry for being a brat when I first got here"

Shaking her head slowly Damia said, "don't apologise, I wouldn't blame you. I would have most certainly been much more angry."

Kira laughed and looked up at Damia, her smiled lighting up the room.

"What do you think about getting your father to get us something to drink?" Damia said, a smirk on her face.

Kira nodded happily and went to the door, on her way out she turned back and asked "Blood type?"

"I'm a plain Jane type eater, O- for me."Damia said with a ringing laugh.

Kira laughed and smiled "Just like my daddy" and shut the door. Kira walked downstairs and found her father "Hey daddy can we have something to drink?" she asked, a brimming smile on her face. Cyrus looked up from his sword and nodded "Sure hun, I'll grab you some, and wait some for Damia too?" Kira nodded "Yeah she's in my room" Cyrus nodded, retrieved the blood bags and brought them up to Damia. "Here you go miss, one for the miss, and one for the younger miss" he said with a smile

Damia could smell the blood as Kira began to bring it up the stairs. She needed it to heal herself. "only a few more days of this, then I'll be better..." She said softly to herself.

Kira opened the door and sat down on the bed, opened both bags and handed the O- to Damia. "Here have some, I never liked that O- stuff." She said, drinking from her own AB+ bag

A/N OK Guys, Chapter two is done! Thanks Again oh BF of mine for helping with this! (he plays Cyrus and Kira. I am Damia and Demaria, John and Cameron.)


	3. Chapter 3

Ok so, if anyone is reading this, can you comment and let us know what you think...and that we have readers AT ALL. Love ya!

Damia smiled and nodded. She drank quickly, finishing before Kira. This time, unlike usual, not a single drop was spilt. After Damia finished drinking, she already appeared more healthy. "Thank you Kira. You're such a sweet heart, do you know that?"

Kira smiled and showed her perfectly formed fangs in the process. "Awe, thanks Damia, I really appreciate it" she said in return. She looked over at Damia with an approving look in her eyes

"Hey, Kira, do you think you could get your father up here, I'd like to speak with him for a minute ok?" Damia said.

Kira nodded spoke normally "Hey daddy? Could you some up here?" Soon after Cyrus opened the door and walked in "Yes, everything alright in here"?

"Could we get a little while alone Kira? Please?' Damia said, looking directly at Kira.

Kira nodded and stepped outside. Cyrus sat down on the bed and as gently as possible kissed her "How are you feeling?" he asked

Damia smiled, "I feel better than last night. My skin is drier though. It hurts less and is much less red." She looked at her wrists, "They haven't gotten any better though..." Sighing Damia said. "but that isn't what I wanted to tell you. I want it that, whenever you need to go away from Damacus that Kira come here. It's safest here...and I'd love having her..." She sighed, "I say this because I know how much you hate leaving her alone..."

Cyrus nodded "Thank you Damia, it is good to know that there is a place where Kira can come should something ever happen to me" he said with a smile on his face.

"Also..." She let out a deep breath, "I would like to know what you want us...me and you...to become...should we simply end our romantic relationship here..." As Damia said that he voice broke, "or...continue it...no matter the distance...?"

Cyrus's smiled disappeared and he looked away "I...I don't know what we should do here Damia...I would like to...I want to be with you" he said looking back at her

A smiled lit up Damia's face. "I'm willing to challenge the distance if you are Cy. Ready and willing..."

Cyrus smiled and kissed her "As am I Damia...As am I"

Damia hugged him as tightly as she could, which wasn't all that tight, "thank you, thank you, thank you..." She said softly

Cyrus smiled and kissed her as gently as he could "Oh if not for these burns I'd take you right now" he whispered in her ear

Damia smiled wryly, "I'd gladly accept that...if I wasn't burnt and if Kira wasn't downstairs..." She kissed Cyrus lightly on the cheek. "We should tell Kira our little plan; see what she thinks of it all."

Cyrus nodded "Alright then" He sat up and said no louder than he would if Kira was right beside him "Kira, you

can come in now" A few moments later Kira walked in the door and sat down next to Cyrus "So, what's going on guys?" she asked

Damia looked at Cyrus and then Kira. "Your father and I have decided to try to keep dating...long distance...Are you ok with that? I want to know, since you're input is very important to the family." Damia smiled kindly.

Kira put her finger to her chin and thought for a minute, before looking back at Cyrus and Damia smiling and said "Yeah that would be okay with me"

Cyrus smiled and kissed her forehead gently "Awe, thanks moonshine, Damia and I really appreciate your decision"

Damia beamed, she felt so...happy...to be accepted like this. Especially after the less than appropriate first meeting and her carelessly thrown words. She walked over slowly and gave Kira the tightest hug she could

Kira smiled like a kid that had just graduated, she had a hope for a new mommy. Cyrus sat there and smiled.

Damia winced a little, "I think I'm going to sit down for a bit again...just to rest a little." She smiled softly and kissed Kira's forehead and motioned to Cyrus to help her to the bed.

Cyrus stood up and helped her lay back down on the bed "Easy there, with any luck you should be fully healed within a few days" he said optimistically

Damia smiled and kissed Cyrus's cheek. She would find a way to make things work out if it was one of the last things she did.

Cyrus kissed her back and smiled "I really like you Damia" he whispered in her ear

Damia flushed, although it wasn't visible under her dark pink skin. "I really like you too Cy."

A big smiled papered on Cyrus's face. "Well the meeting obviously needs to be postponed now, it can't be held without you there and you need to heal, so It looks like I'll be sticking around for a few more days than I thought"

Damia nodded, "you have a point...it will need to be postponed, but should you go back to visit your territory to let them know what is going on?"

Cyrus shook his head "No I think they can handle themselves for a while longer, I left a very competant man in charge" Cyrus explained.

Kira looked at him "You mean uncle Quincy?" Cyrus nodded and Kira beamed "Oh I really want to get back and see him."

Damia smiled, "I'll have to meet him one day too."

Cyrus nodded "I think you would like him" and gave Kira a wink and Kira laughed. "Now Damia, just how many other Vampire leaders are there in these parts? "

"Well, I'm the head of all of the Isle...but in total, there is one for each main city, which would leave us with six. Laxey, Ramsey, Kirk Michael, Port Erin, Peel and Castletown."

Cyrus nodded "Alright, how soon can you get in contact with them? And how soon can a meeting between all of them ,you, and myself be called?"

Damia sighed, "it may take awhile. The closest city to us is Laxey, which is almost seven miles away. And that doesn't seem like much to you, but here that is a fair distance away. By car about 20 minutes I'd say...but then there is finding their Head; Serria, which may be hard since in Laxey they are more underground. The furthest is Port Erin which is about 40 minutes away. Their head, Josephine is much easier to find. They're more open. They absolute hardest to get in contact with and to get to cooperate with be Cameron...you remember him, he's from Peel...All in all it should take about a week to get a hold of them all and to negotiate a date and place to meet."

Cyrus nodded and thought for a moment. "Alright, sounds good, how do you think they will respond to my arrival?"

The smile from Damia's face faded, "Not too well I'd predict. Cameron may not even agree to come. Which would cause more trouble than you would think. He has a lot of influence over the city of Kirk Michael. Him and the head of that city are related. Brothers." She paused, "I'm worried that Cameron's brother, Cable, may take a liking to Kira...he has a thing for younger, beautiful women; vampire and human alike. I've been trying to get him removed from his post for years. But there has been no one else able to take his place, so it hasn't worked. And won't work unless someone else can take over..."

Cyrus nodded "Well that's why Kira, you're not coming to the meeting." Kira looked at Cyrus with a mad look.

"Why not!? I can take care of some stupid playboy vampire with no brains!" Cyrus gave her a no nonsense look.

"Kira I mean it, you're not coming and that final." He looked back at Damia "Do you have someone that can look after her when the meeting takes place?"

Before answering Cyrus's question Damia turned to Kira, "he may be a playboy, but he is smarter than he looks. He is also strong. I don't want him doing anything to hurt you in anyway. Once he sets his mind to something it takes a great deal of force to take him off that quest." Then, turning to Cyrus she said, "Serena could. She may be young but I've chosen to train her as the vampire who would take over if I died or decided to retire." Turning back to Kira she said, "You and her would get along I'm sure. Maybe you could teach her some manners as well Kira." Damia laughed.

Cyrus laughed with her, but Kira stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her. "Oh boy, her mother had the same spark, but where she gets her recklessness from I will never know" he said with a smile

Damia laughed, "From her father I'd imagine." She shook her head with a smile on her face and said, "We may have to let her come you know. Or else she may sneak out and follow us anyways." Pausing Damia said, "We could bring Serena along for protection. She is fierce, strong and loyal."

Cyrus shrugged "I'd like to keep my only daughter away from such people as this Cable, but if she is to survive as a vampire she will need to learn how to deal with them eventually"

Damia nodded. "If she does come, Serena is defiantly joining us and keeping a close eye on both Cable and Kira. I personally am going to try to keep Cable in his place. I'd rather you didn't unless absolutely needed, we're trying to get them to listen to you." She sighed, "Besides Cable and Cameron the others may like you more if they see we're in a relationship. Or smell it on us."

Cyrus nodded "Yes indeed...it is always hard to get people to listen who do not wish to. I hope for nothing but peace for all in these lands, I hope you know that Damia"

Damia gave a half smile and nodded, "I do." Pausing she said, "is there anyone from your lands you'd like to invite?"

Cyrus thought for a moment "Yes, my Advisor Miguel and the head of my military General Moss, they are some of my closest and most trusted friends. Now I lost my cell phone somewhere over the English Channel may I borrow yours for a minute or two?" he asked

Damia blinked and laughed, "Cell phone? Why on earth do you think I'd have a cell phone? The reception here is terrible, I gave up on them. I do have a landline you can use though." Damia walked over to the wall where a white phone was perched.

Cyrus thanked her and took the phone, dialled a number and began talking. After a few minutes he hung up and turned back to Damia "Alright there on their way. It should take them about three days to get here, Moss is a slow flyer. One word of advice, don't ask him to arm wrestle. He is 6'8, close to 300 pounds and has about 2% fat on him"

Damia raised an eyebrow, "what made you think I was even going to Cyrus? Arm wrestling isn't exactly my thing." She sighed, "I have never heard of vampires flying like some sort of bat. It almost disappoints me, because it furthers the myth that vampires turn into bats. Everyone knows that is bull."

Cyrus laughed "Yeah, I hate it when we first introduce a human to the truth and he asks if we turn into bats"

Blinking Damia asked, "You've introduced yourself openly to a human without then freaking? Or introducing yourself at all! The one time I tried that it didn't end up all too well..."

Cyrus nodded "Oh yes, about 20% of the people in Damascus know the truth about us and far more have heard rumours, we one day hope to live in peace and harmony with the humans, not just to hide in the shadows. to one day walk the streets of our city without being feared or hated...it's been a long struggle"

Damia sighed, "I fear that there is little chance of that happening here. It is simply too small here for there not to be a rampage from the humans and then a vampire retaliation. That is why I have chosen to keep it quiet. It prevents trouble."

Cyrus nodded "I applauded you ability to keep your entire brood a secret for the humans, we decided it's easier if some know, hell some of them even work for us, legitimately. And some of us even have legitimate jobs and families with humans"

Damia shrugged, "it seems easier to keep it on the down low. No negotiations." She then rested her head on Cyrus's shoulder. "Sometimes, I hate being head. It is just so...augh...tiring. Right now, I keep thinking about how much I'm missing on patrol right now. Letting the others down...The smaller the place, the more direct action is needed to be done."

Cyrus nodded "Yes, that why my brood is so big, it's necessary to be able to maintain such a large territory." Cyrus stopped and laughed for a minute "Did you know that the vice-mayor of Damascus is one of us?"

"Really? Mixed in with humans? Wait...didn't you say Damascus was a VAMPIRE city?"

Cyrus laughed "No no, not the entire city, a good portion though. There are about 1 and a half million people in Damascus, and then there are 3000 so we make up a small yet influential part of the city's infrastructure"

Damia laughed, "oh wow. No wonder you've decided to try to make peace with the humans. My meagre 87 out of 258 is nothing to cause such a row over...nor is the 578 out of 76,220 in the entire island. We're so secluded here that we haven't had the chance to spread, and no one has decided to breed as of yet. So we've stayed small and separated into our own major cities, each major city in charge of a certain sector...the total amount of vampire I have in my sector plus the city is only 180"

Cyrus looked shocked "Oh wow, well I figured the center of the Isles would be the best place to start making friends, so I came here"

"Why do you look so shocked Cyrus?" Damia laughed, "expected there to be more of us here...And why did you think that the center would be the best place to make friends? Have your fortune told or something?" Damia laughed a little.

Cyrus laughed "Well if your going to spread something over an area the middle is a good place to start. to act as a hub so to speak, I wanted to see if a safe haven could be established for future routes of travel, trade and other matters"

"You do realize that Douglas is a port City? We're far from the center of the Island..." She smiled.

Cyrus shook his head "I mean the center of the British Isles. It's looking a little far ahead but, it would be best if we could start out peaceful interaction here so that we could safely travel to Scotland, Wales, Britain, and Ireland etc"

This time Damia really laughed, so hard she winced and then contused laughing, her lungs hurting. "Oh Cyrus! The world hardly knows about us! Most think we're part of Ireland. If you wanted to start somewhere to make the most widespread impact it would have been England. Not here. Besides, Damascus is at peace with Ireland and England. At least that last I heard it was only the Isle..."

Cyrus laughed and shook his head "We haven't had any contact with the people here in over 100 years, so the bonds have sort of been forgotten. And I meant geographically a hub. From here you could easily fly to any of the nearby countries with no chance of resistance"

Damia then gave him the look of 'you poor mis-educated man'. "We're far from easy to get in and out of. There is only one airport...."

Cyrus laughed even harder "WE CAN FLY OURSELVES DAMIA!!!"

"Correction Cyrus, "YOUR PEOPLE can fly themselves. MINE cannot. And vampires on airplanes full of humans? Not a good idea."

Cyrus laughed again, harder this time "True, but what I mean is this. What if we set up a safe house here. If the peace treaty is meat with good thoughts. A place for passing Knights to stop by and rest on their way to the other larger territories, a sort of embassy of the territory of Damascus in the British Isles"

Damia shook her head, "I'm not sure how well that will go over with the Heads...They may see it as being used by the Knights."

Cyrus nodded "I thought so, however we have much to offer in terms of trade, But this is talk for the meeting, and I will openly discuss this then. Assuming a meeting can be called"

The phone then rang. "Oh shit, Cyrus, can you bring that to me? I have a feeling it may be a call for me..."

Cyrus nodded and took the phone over to Damia.

As Damia answered it she winced at the volume of the other persons voice, it was Cameron. "DAMIA, I KNEW HE WAS NOTHING BUT TROUBLE! ARE YOU OK? WE'RE WORRIED! WE ALL HAVE DECIDED THAT WE WANT HIM AND HIS DAUGHTER OUT OF THE ISLE!"

Damia sighed, "Cameron, calm down, I'm ok. And Cyrus isn't leaving until a meeting is called and he is heard out..."

"SCREW HIM! ALL SIX OF US HAVE MADE UP OUT MINDS!"

Damia's back straightened, "Cameron, you can pass this message to the other five. I am STILL the leader of this island. A meeting WILL be called and Cyrus and his daughter and staying here, at my place, until that meeting is over and they are ready to leave. That is final." Cameron then said something that Cyrus couldn't hear. Damia's face then lit up with anger, "NONE OF THIS WAS HIS FAULT YOU, YOU...I HAVE NO WORDS! AND YOU WILL KEEP YOUR BROTHER AWAY FROM KIRA! JUST WAIT UNTIL I TELL THE OTHERS ABOUT WHAT YOU AND YOUR BROTHER WERE THINKING AND THE DISRESPECT YOU HAVE SHOWED ME IN THE PAST!" With that, Damia hung up and threw the phone across the room, breaking it.

Cyrus raised an eyebrow and looked at Damia "Not the wrong number im guessing?"

Damia looked at him, "did you hear what Cameron was yelling? Chances are HUMANS heard it..." She paused, "did you hear what he said quietly?"

Cyrus shook his head

"Good. That is for the better." She looked over to the broken mess that was her phone. "ugh...that Cameron..."

Cyrus walked over and sat down next to her. "What did he say? Was it something about Kira?"

Damia nodded, "Him and his brother NEED to be removed from their positions...There is no getting around it now. Not after what he just told me. It may have been to spook me, or simply make me mad...which he succeeded in..."

Cyrus looked her in the eyes "Damia...if it's about my daughter, then I have a right to know"

Damia sat absolutely still, and then nodded. "He said, him and Cable had heard n the wind of Kira's beauty...and...well...pureness...and how they wanted that last part to change via their hands." Her face hardened. "There is no way Kira is coming with us. In fact, I want her to go home. Those two are as crafty as a five year old in a candy store..." Damia then buried her face in her hands, "this has become such a mess..."

Cyrus did not respond, he just looked into space, his eyes burned and their natural red glow was intensified ten fold. He clenched his hands till they bled from his claws

Damia grabbed his hands and loosened their grip, ignoring the sting of her own sunburnt hands. "Cyrus! I swear that I won't let any harm come to Kira, and they will be punished. I'll personally see to that." SHe took Cyrus's face in her hands, "I won't let anything happen to her."

Cyrus's glare burned with a hatred that only could be found in a father protecting his young. "You don't need to assure me Damia..." he said coldly "I..will personally accompany my daughter wherever she goes. Sleep in the same room, eat in the same place, fly in the same air. And Damia....If this peace is made. I want them...both of them...I want them officially handed over to the authority of the

Vampire Knights of Damascus"

Damia shook her head, "I can't do that. They broke the laws while HERE. Me being the head allows me to take care of their punishment. Peace has already been made with my city, and so long as the others know the Cameron's city, Peel and Cable's city, Castletown, are lead by vile vampires they are sure to see things my way. The meeting is to be held here, at my house, as soon as your men get here. There will be no exceptions to that, Cable and Cameron are not to be here. Since that is true, you can either take Kira back now, and keep her hidden here. That is up to you." Damia said sharply. Her anger at her fellow leaders plainly visible. "Should we tell Kira...?" Damia said more softly.

Cyrus shook his head. "Damia....I want them...you cannot understand the seriousness of what they have done...they threatened my daughter...you don't have to give them to me...just let me carry out their punishment...and give me 1 day alone with each..." Cyrus looked up ay Damia and gazed into her eyes. He gently put his hand to her cheek. "Please...."

Damia rested her face in his hand, his blood dripping down her face, where it trailed, her face had healed. "I'm sorry, but they cannot leave the Isle...If you are going to punish them, it needs to be here..."

Cyrus nodded "That's fine...just let me have them...I don't care where...just let me have them....."

Damia nodded and closed her eyes, "ok..." she let out a sad sigh, "I'm sorry for their disgraceful behaviour..."

Cyrus shook his head, his eyes calmer now. "It's alright, I understand. Damascus itself has 13 districts, and 13 prefects within each, so there is a long chain of command, and a lot of arrogant and stupid leaders within each. I've tried to keep them on a good path...but you can't watch them all"

"You have 13...I have six...I should be able to handle that small amount Cyrus." She sighed and touched her cheek, wiping off the blood, unbeknownst to her, to reveal the lines of healthy, healed skin. Damia gently kissed Cyrus's cheek, "Thank you..."

Cyrus smiled and kissed back "No...thank you..." Cyrus looked at her cheek. "Damia...where my hand was...your cheek"

Tilting her head and looking at Cyrus in confusion, "where your hand was and my cheek what?"

Cyrus looked again to be sure "It's healed..." he said in confusion

Damia touched her cheek and felt the difference of skin texture. "What the...? Your blood? What?"

Cyrus looked at his hand where the wound was already healing. He extended his claws and in his arm gouged a long vertical cut, tilted his arm and allowed his blood to drip onto Damia's arm

Damia winced as she saw him cut into his own arm, to help heal her. As she looked at her arm, where Cyrus's blood was, her skin began to heal, save for where the silver chains were on her wrists. "Could it be your tolerance to the sun...helping heal me via our strange connection?"

Cyurs shrugged, and whincing slightly cut another gouge to replace the one that had just been cut, as it was already healing. He let his blood flow onto Damia, and after a few minutes she was almost completely healed

Damia blinked, the only wounds that remained were the ones on her wrists. "Da'hell?"

Cyrus swore and gouged five vertical cuts in his arm, and blood poured onto the heavy burns.

Damia grabbed his wrists. "Cyrus. Enough. You don't need to do anymore. They are as good as they'll get." She held up her wrists, the silver burns were no longer black, but just knotted scars. "think of them as war wounds, they look cool...sort of..." She smiled and hugged him tightly.

Cyrus swayed and suddenly fell back onto the floor

Damia screamed, "Cyrus! Cyrus please!" She pulled him onto the bed and pulled him close to her. "Kira! Grab so O- Blood! She yelled as loud as she could, so Kira could hear here where ever she was in the house. "Don't do something stupid now Cy...C'mon...Wake up..."

Cyrus was not completely unconscious and lay there, eyes half open, face unbelievably pale. Kira soon ran into the room with several bags of O- blood bags

"Kira, bite the top off of one, pour it into your fathers mouth." Damia kissed the top of his head. "You silly, silly vampire." Tears fell from her eyes, and landed on Cyrus's forehead. "C'mon, stay awake..."

Cyrus was barley conscious as it is. He had used too much blood to heal Damia, as Vampires don't produce their own blood they need fresh sources to survive. He was simply bleeding to death. He looked up at Damia, and then suddenly passed out. Kira poured the blood down his throat as her own tears fell from her eyes

Damia shook Cyrus, "wake up you! Wake up! We need you Cy...Kira needs you!" Damia kissed his arm. Then the idea came into her head, biting her own arm, she pressed the wound to his lips, letting some of her blood drip in, praying to Hell that this would help.

Cyrus did not move for several minutes, then his eyes slowly opened and he looked up, dazed and very surprised.

A smile spread across Damia's face, tears still falling from her eyes, "Cyrus you stupid vampire you scared us!" Damia said, hugging Cyrus, then Kira, crying all the while.

Kira fell on her father and held him "DADDY!!!" she screamed and hugged her like she would never let go. After a few moments Cyrus finally had the strength, and the conscious ability to lift his arms and hug her back. He sat up, Kira still in his arms and kissed Damia passionately, like never before. Then wrapped the both of them in his arms and held them tightly as if for the last time

They sat there all crying. "Don't you dare do something like that ever again!" Damia said, nuzzling Cyrus's neck, and then kissed his forehead and then Kira's. "Don't you ever, ever do that Again Cy! Ever..."

Cyrus nodded "I'm sorry...I'm so sorry" whispered to the both of them. Kira sat between them crying and refused to let her father go.

Damia had a death grip on both Kira and Cyrus, as if letting them go meant them dyeing.

Cyrus was getting his strength back and tightened his grip on them even more "I'm sorry, I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry...." he said over and over, quieter each time

Damia pressed a finger to his mouth, "shush now...so long as you're ok now...that's all that matters...right Kira?"

Kira nodded her eyes were squeezed shut and were still running tears

Damia the noticed the time, it was nearing dawn. "It's getting early..." She said absently and kissed both Kira and Cyrus again. "We should sleep...especially you Cyrus..." Damia was reluctant to let him fall asleep, incise he didn't wake up this time.

Cyrus nodded "Let's all sleep." he said and lay back, all of them still in his arms. At this point he wasn't ready to part with either of them

Damia also wasn't ready to let go. Cyrus could have died, and it would have been her fault. She would have taken away Kira's only real parent. Her own chance of happiness...Damia shuddered and pulled herself closer to the others.

Cyrus pulled them both close, the lack of blood had left him very cold, colder than any vampire should be, and needed them to keep him warm. Kira curled up and held onto him like he was the last thing alive. Cyrus did the same for both of them.

Damia woke up still tangled up in their coil of hugs. She looked from Kira to Cyrus and smiled, both looked healthy. Giving them both a kiss on the foreheads she slowly and softly dislodged herself so she could go to the basement and grab them all some blood. Cyrus would still need a lot more than both of them...two bags for sure.

Cyrus was still fast asleep. Exhausted after such a massive amount of blood loss, losing blood was much worse for a vampire as they cannot produce their own supply. Kira's eyes flickered open; she removed her hands from her father and rubbed them, groaned and stretched in a very much cat-like way. She looked around the room after seeing that Damia was gone. She stood up, went into the bathroom and changed

As Damia walked into the basement fridge she shivered, it reminded her of how cold Cyrus was. Grabbing four bags of blood, three O- and one AB- she quickly left the basement. As Damia shut the basement door with her hip she could hear Kira changing and Cyrus still sleeping. She looked down at her again ivory skin, save for the twisted scars around her wrist. She had her own war wounds...sorta.


	4. Chapter 4

After Kira changed she went back into the room and felt her father's forehead. It was still cold, but warmer that it was when they had gone to sleep. She pulled the covers over him, sat down in a chair and waited for Damia to come back.

Damia came quickly up the stairs and looked at Kira, "How is her doing...? How are you doing?"

Kira gave a small smile "He's still cold, but looks okay, just pale...for once" she said with a small laugh, commenting on Cyrus's usually healthy looking skin.

Damia smiled softly, "But what about you? How are you?"

Kira smiled "I'm fine...What happened to him?" she asked

Damia swallowed, "It is a slightly long story...before I tell it all, some of which I know your father didn't want you to know, let's feed him. We have two bags. We need to get him propped up and awake..."

Kira nodded and went over to the bed to help Damia raise Cyrus up so he could drink.

"Cyrus...you need to drink these ok? Then you can go right back to sleep ok?" Damia said softly in his ear.

Cyrus groaned and opened his eyes a little bit, flinching at the light. "Alright..." he said weakly. And opened his mouth, too tired to lift his arms.

Damia poked a hole in the side of the bag and then pressed it to his lips, "you're going to need to swallow."

Cyrus nodded slightly and after the blood had filled his mouth swallowed, and exhaled heavily. He licked his lips and on the formed a blood soaked smile "That's the good stuff" he said softly and gave a small laugh. Kira smile and laughed with him.

Damia smiled as well and prepared the second bag, "hear you go...last one..."

Cyrus finished this bag faster and sat up on his own power. "Oh boy" he said. He looked at them both "Are both of you alright?' he asked

Kira laughed and nodded "I'm fine daddy"

Damia nodded, "I'm great. Just go back to sleep, get better, don't waste your energy on us right now. We're big girls and can take care of ourselves for a while longer...right Kira?" She turned to Kira and smiled

Kira smiled and nodded "Yeah daddy, get some rest, for once it's your bedtime" savoring the moment

Cyrus laughed and nodded "Alright alright I'll go back to sleep, you two behave you hear me?" he said and smiled. He sat up farther and gave Kira's forehead a kiss, and the same to Damia's lips, before laying back down.

Damia smiled and kissed his forehead then turned to Kira once he was asleep. "Some parts of the story you really won't like..."

Kira looked down and nodded "Okay, you don't have to tell me, I trust it was the right thing to do" she said in a very mature way. Looking at Cyrus she said added "Let's go downstairs so we don't wake him up" and headed for the door.

Damia nodded and they headed downstairs. "Part of it I believe you need to know, your father does not..." She sighed, "It all started with two of the other city heads on the Isle...Cameron and Cale. Cameron...well...he liked me and then he met your father...needless to say they didn't hit it off all too well. Cale is his younger brother and a womanizer. I've been trying to have him taken off his post and his status removed. But it hasn't gone well since there is no other vampire to take his place. Cale...he heard of your beauty and the wind and he loves beautiful women. Him and Cameron...they threatened, and I do believe that they are serious and I will now make sure they are removed; even if it means I must take control of both of their cities as well, that they would take your innocence from you. Violently I'm assuming since you would fight back...This obviously angered not only me, but your father as well. His claws ended up puncturing his own palms...we then found out his blood healed me...and he wouldn't stop...he just wouldn't..." Damia looked away, "I'm sorry...it was my fault..."

Kira's eyes were a mix of anger at these men who threaten her, and at her father for being such an idiot, along with a strange feeling of violation. "I...I don't..."

"Cale and Cameron and the reason you're not coming with us to the meeting...I don't trust them as much as I want to touch silver..."

Kira nodded "I understand...but how can they be allowed to do this?!" she asked

Damia's eye hardened, "they won't be. Not if I have anything to do with it. And since I'm the head of them all...I do. Their punishment is dealing with your father..."

Kira looked up at her "I'm guessing that my father asked for their heads on a silver platter?"

Damia shook her head, "He didn't tell me what he had planned, but I have a feeling it will be much worse than that."

Kira nodded "He's always been so protective of me...He even trained me in weapons" she said and opened the light jacket she had on and reviled an excellently concealed arsenal of her own, consisting of a couple of pistols, a sum-machine gun, an intricate short sword and about 6 knives. "Told ya" she said with a smile

Damia laughed, "Like father like daughter! You're more tricked out than me. No weapons training here. I'm a Plain Jane." Pausing she said, "He has good reason to be protective over you...you're his only daughter, you're beautiful; so you must be followed by boys like fly's to honey. And although you've been trained, there is nothing that can prepare you for the real thing...he wants you safe,

like all good fathers should."

Kira's eyes flowed with a nostalgic look that made them gleam. "Yeah...he is a really good father" she said with a big smile on her face. "As for boys" she said and blushed "I'd rather not talk about that please" she said softly, playing with her fingers

Damia cocked her head, "because you like one or because they've done something?" she looked upset at the thought of boys doing things that she didn't want...

Kira blushed even more "The first one..." she said and looked down

Damia smiled, "maybe I can help you in that area...promise I won't tell your father." She then pretended to zip her lips shut, lock them and throw away the key. "Cross my heart."

Kira smiled and turned away, hiding her smile "Oh please, you into my father, how good with boys can you be?" she said, teasingly

Damia laughed, "I've met more guys than just your father. And I must say, my taste has become pretty decent over time thank you very much."

Kira laughed and sat down in a chair as they were now in the living room "I guess so" she said , trying to change the subject.

Damia rolled her eyes and then giggled, "I was your age once, so I can tell that you're trying to change the subject." Damia sat down beside her, "you sure you don't want some advice?"

Kira smiled and turned to face her 'Alright well..there's..this..boy..." she said, giving up and decided to talk about it, secretly wanting to the whole time

Damia sat cross-legged on the couch, facing Kira, "and? Is he cute?"

Kira's already red cheeks flushed a crimson that nearly matched her hair "yes..." she said in a small voice and giggled slightly

Damia smiled, "What does he look like? Is he a total sweet-heart?" Damia said with excitement.

Kira giggled "YES, he's SO cute, he's nice, and tall, and strong, and smart.." she went on

Damia giggled as well, "what's his name?"

Kira shifted and held her hands on her mouth "John" she said and squeed

"Now...what about John would your father not like?"

Kira thought for a moment "Well...nothing I can think of. Except...except that his parents are from Berlin"

Damia raised an eyebrow, "What about Berlin would bug him so much?"

Kira looked at her with a confused look "Have you not heard of the Berlin Vampire clan?"

Damia blushed and shook her head, "As I'm sure you've noticed, the Isle of Man is very secluded...it has the pro of being peaceful but a con of well, cutting us off a little. None of us here have the ability to fly..."

Kira nodded "Ah I see, well during WWII the Nazis did some experiments with captured Vampire and created their own clan, those Vampires survived and up until 1970 ruled the territory of Berlin. His grandparents were Vampires in that clan, but his parents left the clan and came to Damascus after the war. Neither he nor his parents are Nazis or anything, just descendants of them...The leader my father left in charge was the one that destroyed the Nazi Clan and my father said it was the only smart thing that the leader did in his time in power"

Damia frowned, "that seems a bit prejudice to judge John on what his very distance ancestors were part of..." She then smiled coyly. "If you and him ever want to hang out one day, when your father isn't here you could just say you want to visit and bring John along..."

Kira nodded "Yeah, I don't think daddy will have any problem with him...but I can't ask him out" she said

Damia cocked her head, "Why not?"

Kira looked down and hid in her hair. "Because what if he doesn't like me?'

Damia laughed, "Oh sweetie, there is almost no way for him not to! And besides, if he says no, then you move on and find someone who will say yes to your beautiful face and personality."

Kira blushed at the complement "I'm not that pretty"

Damia paused, "you know, you're right, you're not that pretty. You're absolutely stunning."

Kira blushed again "Nah..."

Damia smiled, "trust me, you are. I haven't seen anyone quite so stunning in over 100 years."

Kira flushed "Really?"

Damia nodded, "really really."

Kira smiled and gave Damia a hug "Your pretty too Damia, I can see why my daddy likes you so much"

Damia flushed, "thank you." She then giggled, "You should ask him out. The worst he can say is no..."

"But I don't know how to ask him out? I only see him...I don't know how!"

Damia thought for a moment, "well, you could try a group date at first, you know, ask him if he wants to go to the movies and dinner with you and some of your friends...or you could simply ask him to the movies...it of course would be best to ask him alone."

Kira nodded "But I only see him in flying class...and sword class...and weapons 101...and bio..."

Damia giggled, "oh, that's it? So few times!" She gave Kira a hug, "ask him to meet you somewhere after school."

Kira blushed "But what should I say?!"

"Do you want a one on one date or to start off with a group date?"

Kira twittered her fingers "one on one" she said softly

Damia smiled broadly, "what does he like to do for fun? The movies?"

Kira shrugged "I dunno, he's a good flyer, and a REALLY good swordsman. But I dunno what he does for fun"

Damia smiled, "ask him. Then after he answers ask him if he wants to do what he likes to do with you later."

Kira smiled "Alright" she said "Thanks Damia"

"No problem sweetie. And remember, I always willing to help you see him behind your dads back if need be." She paused, "that sounded horrible, but hey, us girls have to stick together..."

Kira laughed and nodded "Thanks Damia, I'll keep that in mind. So who was your first crush?' she asked, giggling

Damia smiled, "I was 9 in human years, grade three through grade six I liked the same boy. His name was Jim, dirty blond hair and blue eyes. We were best friends, he never liked me in that way. But I was loyal to him." She giggled.

Kira giggled with her "Tell me more tell me more!"

Smiled Damia said, "I think he always knew I liked him, up until about grade 5 he still thought that most girls had cooties, I was an exception to that rule. I felt that meant true love! Mine forever. But, sadly, it didn't to him. Like most boys his age, In grade 6 the girls didn't have cooties, but they were still just for being friends. But daaamn, he was so cute!"

Kira laughed and smiled "So were you ever married like daddy?"

Damia shook her head, "As soon as I turned 15 my dad left my mom and she didn't have a job and I had a younger brother to take care of. So...I ended up working the streets. I had no other choice really, no one else would hire a 15 year old girl from a poor family like mine. My boyfriend at the time, he dumped me as soon as I was forced to start doing what I needed to do to help me and my family survive. I kept working the street corners until 15 years after I was changed...then I killed the man I was with at that very moment, and was forced to run. So I came here. I'm been here ever since...over 150 years now."

Kira nodded "Mommy died when I was 8, I miss her..."

Damia moved closer, pulling Kira close, "I miss my mommy too. I think...we'll always miss them, but it does get easier, as I'm sure you've noticed, but it hurts sometimes, it getting easier to live knowing their gone. It is almost a guilty feeling..." Damia said softly

Kira nodded "Yeah...thanks Damia...for talking to me you know. My daddy does a good job...but sometimes it's nice to have a girl to talk to you know"

"Men don't quite understand what it is to be a girl. They try...but don't quite get it."

Kira nodded "Yeah" she said and smiled. Kira nodded "Yeah, I don't know how im going to spend eternity with them around" she said and laughed

Damia laughed with Kira, "trust me, we all have wondered that for time to time. I've heard of some vampire women becoming nuns..." Pausing Damia said, "I have a feeling if your father isn't ok with this idea, I can help change his mind..."

Kira laughed and pushed Damia playfully. "Oh!" she exclaimed and reached into her back pocket and pulled out a small box about the size of a wallet "I have special candy that daddy made for me" she said and opened the box, revealing a dozen or so dark red rock shapes. She took one and popped it in her mouth and sucked on it, then held one out to Damia "Try one, there good"

Damia smiled and nodded, "sure, I don't see why not." As it touched Damia's tongue she smiled. It tasted sweet and had the more, at least to her, exotic taste of AB-.

Kira smiled "It's a solidified blood mixed with sugar, my daddy invented it around the same time the rock candy first was popularized. He makes AB- for me. It's the first legitimate vampire run company in the world" she said with a laugh

Damia said with a smile, putting the candy under her tongue for safe keeping, "He is indeed a smart man. This tastes...delicious."

Kira gave her a "Are you for real?" look and shook her head in dismay "It's going to be a long visit" she said to herself

"We also have shops that sell anything from toys, which are interesting, to fashion. That outfit with the red pencil skirt I got there; they also have some more traditional outfits for sale. In one area they sell Celtic Gold. They also have a tour of places where movies and shows have been filmed. There have been quite a few filmed here. My personal favourite is visiting the Manx cat sanctuary.

Kira raised an eyebrow "You really like cats hu?" she rubbed her head and looked back up "Alright were going shopping, defiantly"

Damia nodded, "I do like them. And for sure we're going shopping. There are a few stores that are open 24/7 due to the fact that their owners are co-owned by vampires and humans."

Kira nodded and stood up "Okay were going shopping...now!" she said forcefully, she grabbed a piece of paper and scribbled an note for Cyrus and opened the door "C'mon lets go get you some real clothes" on her way out she said 'So what about this whole cat thing?"

"I think we should get you and your dad some real clothes! If I do remember, you seemed to like that outfit I set out for you Kira." She smiled, "But, it would be nice to buy some new clothes. Just let me grab some cash." Damia quickly bolted to a safe behind a painting of a ship, "don't tell a soul it's here." and pulled out about $1000 cash. As they walked out the door Damia began to tell the tales of the Manx cats tails, "the first story is that it got cut off when Noah was closing the door on the Ark. The cats were too busy playing and were nearly late to get on. Another one is that they were part cat part rabbit."

Kira nodded, starting to get into the story

"My favourite is the one with Noah's Ark, since Manx cats are very playful and ADD." She giggled and then turned right down an ally. "This is the quickest way."

Kira laughed and followed alongside her "So how big is this place anyway? I didn't really get a chance to get a good look at it when I flew in, it was raining if you remember"

Damia smiled, "the island is very small...it is only 221 square miles...If I were to take over Cale's and Cameron's territories I'd be running half of that."

Zach "Ace of Spades" says:

Kira looked in surprise "Really? Wow that's small, daddy's territory is 800 miles. So where are we going first?" she asked, excited to go shopping about as much as one would expect from a teenager

Damia laughed, "well, I was thinking shoes first. But it is really up to you."

Kira jumped up in excitement "I LOVE shoes! Let's go get shoes! Can we?! Can we!? Can we?!"

Damia laughed, "Of course, I figured you love shoes."

Kira nodded "Yeah hu!" she said giggling and vibrating with excitement

Damia giggled and rolled her eyes a bit, so cute. "What are your favourite styles and colors? I personally prefer either sleek black boots, with a nice high heel on them! And any color high heel." She smiled

Kira giggled "Well I like a mix of bright reds and cobalts, to match my eyes you know, Daddy says I have very special eyes. Some people think they look weird..."

Damia shook her head, "You have amazing eyes sweet heart. They are indeed very special." Damia gave Kira a kiss on the top of her head.

Kira smiled and walked on "Well I like high heels, they suit me, and I can walk in them really easy too"

Damia nodded, "that they do. You and I have the gift to not only walk in them, but I bet you can run and most likely fight in them," Damia winked, "We women always look good."

Kira laughed and nodded "Yes, yes we do. So why can't you guys fly?" she asked

Damia shrugged her shoulders and shook her head, "I honestly have no idea as to why we didn't get that ability. I'd say genetics, but we have no vampire children that were made by two vampires. I befuddles me really."

Kira looked puzzled "Weird, it's so fun to fly..." she said looking up into the dark night sky

Damia smiled and looked up to, her keen eyes able to see every pin prick of light in the sky. Every star. "The night sky is my favourite part of living here. There isn't any smog, so you can always see the stars. Every star."

Kira nodded "It's so beautiful here...so calm and quiet, not like Damascus, a big city, too much noise and light. My daddy told me about how if i get strong enough then maybe I can one day fly above all the clouds and smog and see the sky clear...and away from the city..."

Damia tilted her head and smiled, "I have a feeling you will get strong enough. And think of this as your first taste of the stars and the clean air...and the calm they bring."

Kira closed her eyes and inhaled "Yeah.." she said with a profound smile

Nudging Kira Damia pointed to the first store, "Here we go!"

Kira opened her eyes wide and looked at the first store for about half a second before grabbing Damia's hand and pulling her inside

Damia laughed and greeted the vampire inside with a wide smile, "Hello Abby! This is my new friend, Kira. She shares our love of shoes."

Abby smiled and laughed, "Oh Damia, I could tell! Feel free to try anything you want on."

Damia walked over to Kira, "You said I need some new things, you pick for both of us."

Kira nodded and looked at the selection "Not as...divers at the one's in Damascus" she said simply

Damia rolled her eyes, "well we're not even half the size of Damacus as a COUNTRY Kira."

Kira laughed "yeah you're right, imp sorry. I'm just used to the big city" she took another look and picked out a few pairs of shoes and handed some to Damia "here try these on"

Damia smiled, "ok." She took off her own shoes in an instant and then had the deep jade green pumps on. "they look at fit perfect."

Kira crossed her arms and nodded "Knew it, they look great too"

Damia smiled, "Thank you"

Kira smiled as she tried on a pair for herself "These look good"

"Shall we move onto clothes?"

Kira nodded excitingly "Yes please" she was practically hovering off the ground with excitement

Damia laughed, "Here, I'll take you to the biggest store here. It is most likely the size of one of your smaller ones..." She smiled, "C'mon. Let's head out." Turning to Abby Damia said, "Thanks Ab's!"

Abby replied, "Welcome Dames!"

"Thanks Abby!" Kira yelled through the closing door "So what's this place called?" she asked

"This store is called Aalid Braagyn, in English, Beautiful Shoes. The clothing store we're going too is called Jeshid, in English, Elegance."

Kira nodded "Cool, you guys have your own language?" Kira was a little amazed

Damia giggled, "It's called Manx. The people here are also Manx. The language and the people share the same name. It is harder than English...The word 'shoe' has three different words for it! The plural only has one."

Kira gave her a 'Are you serious?' look "Really?!"

Damia nodded, even the pronunciation of letters is different..."

Kira looked amazed "Oh wow, I'm impressed such a small country hasn't lost itself to the bigger countries"

Damia laughed, "We're so small we're hardly noticed. The English, Scottish and Irish really don't want us."

Kira laughed "That's the exact opposite of Damascus, everyone wants a piece, hence why we always have someone trying to move in"

"I prefer the dynamics here. No one really wants to take us away from being...us. Less things to worry about."

Kira nodded "True, I guess it would be nice to live here, minus the lack of clothing stores" she said with a laugh

Damia laughed, "This is only one city! There are six other larger cities and then lots of towns."

Kira laughed "Alright alright I guess I do need to give it more of a chance, so what besides shopping is there to do for fun?" she asked

Damia smiled, "Nothing much really. We have an interesting history, so museums are pretty coolish. There are spas. Archery. Horse back riding; the horses sometimes don't like some vampires. Mainly male vampires. Farms to explore. Small things."


	5. Chapter 5

Kira nodded "Cool, I've never been horseback riding, Never been out of Damascus for that matter, except to see Uncle Boris"

Damia cocked her head to the left, "Who's Uncle Boris?"

Kira looked up at Damia "My mom's brother, he's from the Russian territory, him and my dad are pretty close"

Damia smiled, "that's nice."

Kira nodded 'Yeah, he's really funny. When I was little he would always do these cool tricks with his hands and all these magic tricks, they made me laugh"

Damia smiled, "I bet they still make you laugh! Magic tricks still make me laugh."

Kira looked away, hiding a smile "No they don't!" she said and pushed Damia playfully

Damia smiled and then looked at the sky, it was going from a black-blue to a purple. She looked at her watch, five am. They had 10 minutes to get back before the sun really began to rise, staining the sky pink. "Shit! Kira, we need to run. In fact, you should fly back." She pointed to the lightening sky, "It's five am, and the begins to show at ten after five." Pausing she said, "We need to hurry or else your father will want to lock us inside forever!"

Kira looked at her own watch "Oh shit!, there's no point in my flying, I can't carry you and can't fly fast enough, we have to run!" she yelled and look off down the streets towards the house

Damia followed suit, easily keeping up with Kira. Damia looked at her watch. Eight minutes. They would get there in time at this speed. Looking up Damia saw the roof of her house, then her front path, then the garden, then the front door. She burst in, dragging Kira with her. She looked at her watch, and as soon as the door shut, it was 5:10. "We made it."

Kira was panting loudly, standing at the top of the stairs. An arm half way through a shirt getting ready to leave was Cyrus

Damia looked up and saw Cyrus, "Good morning Cyrus." She said with a warm smile while also panting.

Cyrus looked at them with an appalled expression "DO YOU KNOW WHAT TIME IT IS!!" he yelled, then stopped and realized what he sounded like. Suddenly his knees buckled and he fell to the floor at the top of the stairs, nearly falling down them.

Damia was at his side in a second, "You still need to rest Cy! You're not strong enough to be yelling and making a fuss!"

Cyrus looked more surprised than hurt "I'm fine, just a little sudden is all" he stood up with the help of Damia and Kira who had rushed to his side as well "What on earth were you two doing out this early?"

Damia smiled, "Shopping."

Cyrus shook his head and moved his way to the bed "Don't you two scare me like that ya hear?" he said, giving them both a serious look

Damia nodded, "We won't. We lost track of time is all."

Kira nodded along with her "Yeah, sorry daddy"

Cyrus looked at both of them and nodded "Alright, so what did you buy?" he asked

Kira and Damia looked at each other, "shoes." They said in unison then laughed.

Cyrus gave a small laugh and shook his head "You girls are going to be the death of me you know what?" he said looking from one to the other

Damia smiled and kissed his forehead.

Cyrus smiled and ran his hand down her's and Kira's cheek. "I love you guys and don't want to lose you"

Damia blushed bright red and had no idea what on earth to do. No man had ever said that to her before.

So, she gave Cyrus a kiss on the nose.

Cyrus looked at Kira and then at Damia "I love you" he said with a smile

Damia smiled as well and nuzzled him. She was still in a mild state of confusion.

Kira smiled "I'm gonna give you guys some time alone" and went downstairs, closing the door behind her.

Cyrus wrapped his arms around Damia.

Damia hugged him back but then pulled away and looked Cyrus in the eyes, "really?" She said in disbelief.

Cyrus took both her hands, looked as for as his eyes dared look into her dazzling eyes and said "I really do love you Damia"

Damia threw her arms around Cyrus and nibbled his ear. "I love you too."

Cyrus looked shocked 'Really?" he said

Damia nodded and pressed her lips softly to his.

Cyrus held the kiss for a long time and then kissed her again and again "I've fallen in love with you Damia"

Damia made a sound that almost sounded like a purr. Almost. "Yay."

Cyrus smiled and kissed her cheek

Damia gave Cyrus's neck a small nibble where her fang marks still remained.

Cyrus smiled again sank his fangs into her, exhaling deeply as he did

Damia let out a gasp and then raised an eyebrow, "Looks like someone feels better?"

Cyrus nodded and kissed her again "Yes, much better" he whispered in her ear

Damia's back arched slightly and she whispered, "You still need some more rest..." She said, looking directly at Cyrus, then tilting her neck for him, "Here, have some more. It may make you feel even better."

Cyrus obliged and again drove his fangs into her warm flesh

Damia gasped and then closed her eyes and bit her lips.

Cyrus smiled and allowed her blood to flow into his mouth

"Feeling better? Damia said smiling.

Cyrus nodded and retracted his fangs, "Much thank you" he whispered

Damia kissed his lips softly, "Kira is right downstairs..." Damia said softly and then kissed Cyrus's neck.

Cyrus nodded "Alright" he said and tilted his head back for Damia

Damia smiled and laughed, "I'm not going to bite you."

Cyrus looked down at her 'Why not? I'd be happy to have you bite me" he said with a smile

"You need the blood more than me silly..." Damia kissed down his neck and then took off his already unbuttoned shirt.

Cyrus smiled and unzipped her shirt as well, kissing her chest as he went down.

Damia shivered and smiled. "We're being very silly again..." She said with a smile. "But I don't mind..."

Cyrus nodded and shrugged "Oh well, it's fun ain't it" he said and laughed, kissing her neck.

Damia laughed and looked down, "You're not ruining this bra!" She said as she undid it.

Cyrus gave a small laugh and worked his way down her chest, kissing as he went. His hands trailed all across her back and her hips, feeling every curve and every crevice. He gently kissed her belly button and glanced back up at her face.

Damia smiled and flipped her long hair onto her right shoulder so it cascaded down her chest, covering her right breast. Damia tugged on his hair, bringing his face up to meet hers. "not so fast..." she said breathlessly, "I want to look into your eyes..."

Cyrus brought himself back up and kissed her passionately. He then pulled away and looked into her eyes. His hand ran through her hair down her chest. "I love you..." he said softly.

"I love you too..." As Damia moved to kiss him, the doorbell rang. She sighed and then quickly grabbed a robe to wear. "Kira!! Don't answer that!" As Damia made it down the stairs she saw the door was ajar. Her spine straightened. "Kira. Where are you?! CYRUS!! GET D-" Just then Damia was punched in the face and kicked in the ribs. She coughed and blood came out, along with a fang.

Cyrus had already grabbed his two short swords and had leaped down the staircase, straight at Damia's attacker.

But the attacker was already moving out the door and Cyrus's swords tore up the floorboards as he pulled them up and prepared for another attack, this one a slashing move from both sides

Standing up Damia yelled, "Cyrus stop! They took Kira! Cameron and Cable....they took her!" She darted over to where Cyrus was, "that was Joseph...he is the fastest vampire I've ever met...He works for those two...I'm sorry Cyrus but don't rush out now..."

Cyrus's eye were fixed on the open door, and the empty air where his intended target had been only a moment before. The slits of red in his eyes thinned and his fangs elongated. A feral growl hallowed in the depths of his chest.

"Cyrus. We'll find her. I promise you that. But I need to make some calls first and have every single night route off of the Isle shut down both day and night to vampires." Damia ran over to the phone and dialled so fast that it had almost appeared that she hadn't moved an inch. Speaking in hurried undertones she explained what happened to Damaria. Looking back up at Cyrus she said "Damaria is coming to help us. She's bringing her best help."

Cyrus looked over at her with bloodshot eyes. "They just took my daughter Damia!!! I don't care how long it takes or how many days of sun it takes. I WILL FIND HER!!!" He yelled

Damia closed her eyes, "I love her too Cyrus, but Joseph is dangerous. More dangerous than you would think espescially since Cameron and Cable are egging him on..." blood trickled from Damia's mouth, her fang would take a week to grow back in...

Cyrus breathed in and out for a moment. He sheathed on of his short swords ad brought his hands up to her lips and gently touched it. "You okay?" he asked. A little calmer

Damia nodded, "It's happened before...they grow back. Luckily for us, I know the only places NOW that would let any of these three in it is in Cameron's domain; Peel. Cables domain, Kirk Michael, was taken over by Josephine. She's stronger and smarter than him. I trust her." Pulling out a map Damia pointed to Peel, "You can fly, so you could make it there in a day. He can make it in a day and a half. I could make it in two if I don't stop. Damaria said she can be here tonight. I'm not sure how she is going to get here that fast...but she is. If you want, you can fly ahead...but there will be many guards...."

Cyrus took one glance at the map and ran upstairs, quickly dressed and attacked all his weapons upon himself. He walked downstairs and stepped outside, unzipping the slits in the back of his shirt and cloak to let his black wings spread. He looked back at Damia. "I'm sorry...But I have to go, she's my daughter..."

Damia nodded, "I'll wait here for Damaria. We'll be there by tomorrow I promise. Just make sure nothing happens to her. Don't do ANYTHING unless some harm, any harm, is going to be done to her. You'll be slaughtered right away if you do."

Cyrus nodded without looking behind him, extended his leathery broad wings, and lifted high into the air. He was at cloud level with seconds and flying as fast as his wings would allow.

Damia looked up at his disappearing figure. As soon as he disappeared she turned to go inside, then the phone rang. She was beside it in seconds "Hello?" The voice on the other end was muffled and soft, as if trying to not be heard.

"Damia? Is that you?" It was Kira.

"Oh God Kira, thank God you're ok! We're so worried about you. Are you hurt? How did you get to a phone? Are both Cameron and Cable there?"

"I'm ok Damia, I'm not hurt...but I'm scared. When Cameron looks at me...he looks hungry...but not for blood." Damia could hear that Kira was crying, "I stole Cameron's cell. He hasn't noticed yet...Is Daddy there?"

"He left to find you. He's on his way now."

"NO! THEY'RE WAITING FOR HIM! THEY FIGURED HE'D COME FOR ME! THEY WANT TO KILL HIM!"

Damia gasped, "Oh God..."

There was a muffling on the phone and Damia could hear Kira scream and struggling. Then after a few moments of silence Cameron voice came on the phone.

"We have the girl, and she is indeed as the rumours have said" He said, the sound of him licking his lips could be heard.

"If you dare to warn the foreigner...well you know what we'll do" He said as he laughed hung up.

Damia swallowed. Her mind was racing with things to do. One rang in her mind, call Damaria. Reaching for the phone she dialled her number, it rang once. "Damaria. I need you to go straight to Peel. Cameron and Cable set a trap for Cyrus! I can't warn him or they'll...hurt...Kira!" Damia was grabbing a jacket as she spoke to Damaria. "I'm on my way out now."

"Damia, you need to calm down. I know you want to leave to help but someone needs to stay home to be there in case Kira calls again, or in case anyone else calls. I'm on my way there; I should be there in two hours. I may beat Cyrus there..."

Damia's shoulders began to shake. She was so angry and frustrated and scared. She began to cry softly.

"ok...I'll stay. But you need to protect both of them with your life. Please Damaria?"

"Of course, you have my word." Damaria said as she hung up.

Kira was huddled in a damp corner of a cellar. Deep inside the ruins of Peel castle, Cameron stood at the rotten cellar door. His eyes trailed over her, watchingly.

"If everything goes to plan and your daddy gets here on time then you and I will get to have some...fun" he said with a wide grin and Kira shrunk further into the wall.

An hour and a half later Cyrus flew high over Peel, smelling the city. He circled over for a few minutes before picking up the scent of his young daughter. His eyes opened wide and he darted in the direction of the scent. He saw the castle and landed in the center courtyard, and drew his twin nickel coated .50 DEAGLE pistols and looked from side to side.

Damaria saw him as he landed and quickly was behind him. Whispering in his ear she said, "Cyrus, it's me, Damaria. Damia sent me straight here. Come with me and stay out of sight." Grabbing his arm she pulled him into a dark corner of the courtyard. "They're planning on killing you, they have traps set everywhere. Damia would have warned you herself, but Cameron told her if she did, Kira would be abused sexually. And if you're killed, they'll still do it to her."

Cyrus's eyes filled with rage at the thought of his daughter in Cameron's hands.

"How is it you know all of this?" He asked, his eyes scanning the castle.

Damaria placed a calming hand on Cyrus's shoulder. "Kira stole Cameron's cell phone and called Damia. She told her about all of this. When Cameron caught her with the phone, he hit her and told Damia about his plan on how he would abuse your daughter. As far as we know, she has only been hit that once. Before she was caught with the phone Kira told Damia that she was ok and unharmed...I'm here to help you."

Cyrus nodded "Alright, I suspect you don't know this castle so lets split up and if you need help just call, thanks for the warning" He said and moved into the shadows and dissapeared

Damaria nodded and went around back, quickly killing the guard that was there. As she moved into the building all she could smell was the dampness of the old castle and the fires in the fireplaces. Her nose wrinkled at the smell. Closing her eyes Damaria listened hard. She could hear the guards in the other rooms; distracted with a game, and a girl crying far away and lower down. "Kira..." Damaria said in less than a whisper.

Back home Damia was either pacing or sitting beside the phone, biting her nails and staring at the phone. She was going crazy just waiting.

A guard smoked a cigarette atop a battlement, Cyrus appeared form the shadows and with a quick motion snapped his neck like a pencil. Then moved on to the next and the next. Dispatching each with silence and persicion. He heard Damaria and after driving a small dagger through a guard's neck, went to join her.

Damaria swiftly moved towards the sound of Kira's crying, "Cyrus, we don't need to kill every guard we see. Their deaths will attract attention to our presence." She said loud enough the only Cyrus could hear.

Cyrus shook his head "They dared to take my daughter, And beside. I don't hear an alarm" he said as they came to a door. Behind Cyrus could hear Kira whimpering. He clenched his fists around his pistols and holstered them. The he drew his two short swords, placed the blade of one in the palm of his hand and slowly slid the blade through it, blood ran down his arms as he did the same with the other blade. When the blades where blood soaked he blew on them and the edges began to grow a deep blood red. He looked up at Damaria and nodded.

Damaria nodded in return

Cyrus then burst through the door and his blades caught ablaze a bright red flame. Cable gaze a look of momentary surprise that was soon replaced by fear and pain as Cyrus's burning swords slashed and removed his arms.

Damaria quickly snapped his neck, killing him. "That was too easy...much too easy." She looked around her eyes hunting for Cameron. "Where is he...? Cyrus, I'll find Cameron while you find your daughter."

Cyrus nodded and added "Don't you dare kill him" his eyes glowed with intensity. He saw a back door and kicked it down, Kira lay huddled in the corner crying. Cyrus dropped his swords and ran to her, wrapping her up in his wings and arms, kissing her head over and over again. "Oh thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you Oh my god I was so worried about you..." Kira huddled in his arms and wept.

Damaria nodded and ran off.

Back home Damia was suddenly hit with a feeling of relief, like a weight was lifted from her shoulders. "Kira is safe..." She said softly to herself. She placed a hand over her heart and closed her eyes, "now let them make it home in one piece..."

Back at the castle, Damaria let out a cry of pain and surprise. She had found Cameron.

Cyrus heard Damaria's cry. "Kira...I need to find Damaria and Cameron okay. Now I want you to follow me outside, and once we get to the courtyard fly up as high as you can okay? Cameron can't fly. I'll come up and meet you when it's done okay?" she nodded and stood up. Cyrus picked up his swords and replaced them in there sheaths. He drew his MPT - 9K Sub-machine guns and cocked them. By now the alarm was raised and the guards were running around looking for the intruders. Cyrus burst out of the door and let all hell rain loose. He walked out into the center of the courtyard, firing all the while, and empty shells falling to his feet and leaving a golden trail in his wake. He stopped in the middle and turned, hitting every target as he fired. He soon emptied both chambers, holstered them and drew his DEAGLE'S, this time being more precise, after 5 seconds both 7 round mags were expended and 14 guards were dead on the stone floor.

Damaria was soon holding Cameron's arms behind his back, "CYRUS SHOOT NOW!" Cameron was struggling and biting at Damaria's hands, drawing blood. "JUST DO IT!"

Cyrus had no guns left and instead pulled out 6 silver throwing knives. One in between each finger and threw them at Cameron. One landed in each shoulder, one in each knee and one in each thigh.

Damaria was finally able to let go of Cameron, letting him fall to his knees, which only drove the knives iv further, he cried out in pain. Holding her hands close to her body Damaria moved towards Kira and began to take her from the room. She gave Cyrus quick nod, letting him know that if he was going to hurt Cameron, now would be the time; when his daughter wasn't in the room.

Cyrus gave her a nod back and went over to Cameron, looking over him he said simply "You took my daughter and hurt her, now I will hurt you, and you will suffer, you will cry in pain, you will wish for death, and I will not bring it. I will break you, and then after you are completely broken, I will kill you. Do you understand?"

Cameron looked up at Cyrus and nodded and then looked at the ground, waiting to die.

Cyrus shook his head "You are not going to die yet, I will not give you that pleasure. And don't bother saying you don't fear death. Because. How do you know? Have you ever tried it?" he said with a thin and cruel looking smile

Cameron looked up at Cyrus with an equally cruel smile, "how does it feel to be like me?"

Cyrus knelt down next to Cameron and smiled "I'm not the one that's going to die" Inside he was burning. but restrained himself for the sake of his daughter who was not yet far enough away. He grabbed Cameron by the neck and dragged him across the stone ground, through the destroyed door into the cellar where they had held Kira. Slamming the door behind him...

"Oh but you are going to die. That vampire inside you, the kind gentle one will be smothered by the anger you feel, the joy you will take in torturing me. Would Kira want to see that vampire? What about your dearest Damia? Would she want you to become like me?"

Cyrus just looked at him. He lay him out on the table and pulled out the silver knives in Cameron, then replanted four of them in his wrists and ankles with such force that they drove straight through and pinned him to the table, the silver burned at Cameron's skin. Cyrus then undressed Cameron.

Cameron let out a howl of pain, gritting his teeth he looked directly at Cyrus. "No answer? Are you wondering what Damia would think of you doing this? What about what the beautiful Kira think? Or even your late wife? What would she think of what you're doing? About the evil that is filling your soul? After...even good intentions can go wrong..." A crazed laugh escaped Cameron's lips. "You're just like me and you know it!"

Cyrus stabbed his inner thigh with a silver knife. A hard look on his face. He went to Cameron's feet and slowly began...to skin him, the silver blade burned and cauterized as it went, the charred flesh falling off as he went from one leg to the other, working his way up.

Cameron screamed in pain, so loudly that Kira was able to hear. She winced and covered her ears. Closing her eyes she said, "Make Daddy stop acting like HIM!!"

A bolt of pain shot through Damia back home, she could feel the anger in Cyrus.

Cyrus stopped as he felt Kira's words. His face twisted into a horrid confused look.

Damia and Kira thought the same thin at the same time, "if you're going to kill him, do just that...nothing else."

Cyrus heard there thoughts...and felt there pain. "I'm sorry..." he said under his breath. He turned to Cameron and pulled out his long sword. And in one motion brought it down on his head, breaking his skull in two.

A heavy silence filled the castle. It was soon pierced by the sound of Cameron's cell phone ringing and ringing and ringing.

Cyrus looked at Cameron's clothes and pulled out his cell phone and answered it "Hello?" he said

It was Damia, and she spoke very quickly, "Cyrus?! Cyrus is that you?! Oh my God, thank God you're okay! How's Kira and Damaria? Are they ok? What happened?"

Cyrus breathed a sign of relief "Damia..." he said, happiness in his voice. "Kira and Damaria are both fine, I sent them away and I'm going to meet up with them now" he said as he replaced his blades, pulling them out of Cameron's body one by one.

Damia sighed with relief, "hurry home...all of you. NOW!"

Cyrus winced and drew his ear from the phone in pain. Then laughed with a smile. "On my way home honey" he said jokingly and hung up

Damia smiled and shook her head. He's lucky he could have died, or that 'honey' would have earned him a beating. Looking at the state of her house Damia's jaw dropped. Time to clean.

Damaria looked at Cyrus and Kira, "you two ok?"

Cyrus and Kira both nodded. Cyrus moved and embraced his daughter, holding her tight for a good long while. Then he turned to Damaria. "Thank you" he said. "For being here for my daughter"

Damaria smiled warmly and walked over to Cyrus. "My pleasure."

Cyrus smiled and nodded. "Now back to Damia's" he looked down at Kira and smiled again.

Damaria nodded, "She'll be happy to see you safe and sound Kira." She moved closer to Cyrus and whispered in his ear s o only he could see, "She blames herself you know."

Cyrus's smile faded. "Yes I know" he said equally as quiet. "And I know she will for some time, but I'll do my best to convince her otherwise. It's not her fault in the least"

"We all know that. But, I believe it is best to not bring it up directly to her unless she brings it up herself..." she glanced at Kira, "The only one to convince her may be Kira..."

Cyrus looked down. He had picked up Kira and she now slept in his arms. "Yes...well I know Kira doesn't blame her. She never was one to blame anyone really"

Damaria smiled at the sleeping Kira. "Tired out poor dear." Looking back at Cyrus she said, "I flew here. In my plane. So if you want a ride home to Damia I can give it to you."

Cyrus nodded "That would be nice, thank you Damaria. I flew straight here and need to rest and feed, I really appreciate it"

"It's only a mile or so further down the road. There is blood waiting, you can have it chilled or heated to your preference. There are beds as well."

Cyrus nodded again "Thank you again." He said and smiled

Once they got onto the plane Damaria sat down on a chair with a glass of dark, rich, blood. "Take your pick. Any type. Kira will need to feed too. It should only take two hours to get there; if that."

Cyrus nodded and poured a glass of O+ for himself and a glass of AB- for Kira when she woke. "So I can see your business is doing well" he said with sarcasm in his voice as he observed the plane around him.

Damaria looked at Cyrus dryly "its benefits came in handy for both of us. My job is needed. I exterminate those that deserve it. And deal out punishments, sometimes too harsh for the crime. But it is what I must do. It gives me sometime more important than money, but influence..."

Cyrus gave a humph and looked out the window at the wing. "Hunting your own kind is not exactly honest work you know"

"I only do it if they deserve it Cyrus. Like what I did today. Except normally I do it for pay. The country pays me for it. My clan has influence over many others..."

Cyrus nodded "Yes I'm quite aware of how you and your clan make money...bounty hunters"

"We do not hunt down those who are undeserving. We have standards Cyrus. You nearly became one of us...or at least thought about it...once upon a time."

Cyrus looked up at her and then back to Kira "Yes...but things change...I changed"

"I know. I can see it in your eyes. They grow softer every time I see you." She smiled and looked at a clock, "We should be there shortly..."

Cyrus looked at his silent watch "Ah excellent. Kira sweetie? Wake up, we're back" Kira slowly awoke and sat up from the bed.

"Ugh, 5 more minutes daddy. please?" she said, rubbing her eyes

Damaria smiled, "We'll be at Damia's in less than 30 minutes. We're landing in 10 darling Kira."

Kira groaned like the teenager she was and sat up fully. Looking out the window to the familiar sight of the open night sky. Cyrus looked lovingly at his daughter, then followed her gaze out into the sky. The sun would rise in an hour or so. He thought about what to say to Damia when he saw her, and could not come up with anything. He didn't know what she would say to begin with.

Damia heard the plane before she saw it. The house was perfectly clean, blood was ready for both of them; AB- for Kira and O+ for Cyrus. Running out of the house Damia ran to the air strip where the plane would land. Just as she got there the plane was landing.

"Cyrus...Kira...We're back in Douglas. Capital of the Isle of Man, and you home away from home." Damaria smiled. "I'm dropping you two off then returning home myself."

Cyrus nodded and bowed to Damaria "Thank you again Damaria for the ride and for helping me rescue my daughter. It will not go forgotten" he said with a smile and disembarked from the plane, his hand on Kira's shoulder. She looked back at the plane and waved to Damaria.

Damia smiled and sighed in relief when she saw Cyrus and Kira, "Kira! Cy! Thank God you're both ok!" Tears of happiness were filling her eyes, "We need to hurry home, the sun is going to rise soon."

Cyrus smiled and let Kira go as she ran into Damia's arms. "Did you miss us?" he asked. A grin on his face.

Kissing the top of Kira's head Damia smiled, "you both had me worried sick. Neither of you are to ever get put in danger like that again do you hear me?" She began to cry, smiling all the while. Looking at Kira Damia said, "Are you ok sweet heart?"

Kira nodded as she looked up at Damia, tears in her own crimson eyes. Her matching hair dirtied by the ordeal. Cyrus looked far better off and kissed Damia as he caught up with Kira. "Alright let's get back to your home" he said as he put a hand on each of their shoulders.

Damia smiled, "Our home. You two are always welcome. And Kira, I have some blood waiting for you, and I'm sure you'll want to have a bath or shower...you're filthy." She smiled and laughed a little.

They both laughed along with her as they walked back through the streets to their home. Kira in between them, Cyrus with his arm stretched out across them. Cyrus looked over at Damia and smiled "Thank you" he said to her. Kira looked up at both of them and smiled. She looked at her hair. A grotesque look crossed over her face. "Ugh! My hair! It's horrible!" she yelled

Damia laughed, "You're still gorgeous. I have shampoo and body soap that will make you smell beautiful." Looking at Cyrus she said, "you're very welcome."


	6. Chapter 6

Kira still looked her hair over with a still horrified expression and Cyrus laughed at her. Suddenly his cell phone rang and he pulled it out of his pocket and answered it. "Yes?.....Oh excellent" he said, then he glanced at the horizon in the East. "You'd better hurry, the sun will be up soon. We'll meet you where I told you alright?...Good...What?....Oh really?" he said, looked at Kira and smiled "Alright well that's okay, we'll see you then...okay...bye" and he hung up.

Damia looked up at him and raised an eyebrow, "What's that about? What are you planning?"

Cyrus smiled and looked over at her "Miguel and Moss are almost here" he looked down at Kira and grinned "And they've brought someone along with them. He's from the Academy I think you know him. She looked confused for a moment, in the back of her mind a worst possible scenario formulated

Damia grinned and nudged Kira, "we better hurry and get you clean. We wouldn't want our guests to wonder what the cat drug in." Grabbing Kira's hand she began to pull her along at full speed.

Cyrus smiled and followed, he leaned over to kira and whispered so Kira couldn't hear "Has she said anything about a young boy names John to you?"

Damia gave a very quick nod and smiled, "You've known the entire time haven't you?"

A thin smiled formed on Cyrus's face "I've suspected, I've seen the boy at a few times when I've inspected the Academy. Don't know much about him but kira always blushes when he is around so i kinda thought she might like him"

"Don't judge him Cyrus. Welcome him. For Kira's sake." Damia smiled widely, "you'll be in her good books forever."

Cyrus nodded "I know. I'm not the kind of father that tries to interfere with her" he said with a smile and looked at Kira lovingly. "just as long as she doesn't hurt her is all"

Damia smiled as they came to the front door. Urging Kira in she said, "Kira, the soaps are under the sink, you can use any of my clothes that you want." As Kira went upstairs and Cyrus and Damia walked into the living room Damia turned to Cyrus, "You're tricky you know that?" She said smiling. "Where are you meeting them?"

Cyrus smiled and hollered after Kira "I think his name was John!" And laughed at her response. "WHAT!?!&&#!!? HES COMEING HERE?!^$^! NOW!!!!!!!!!" Cyrus stopped laughing long enough to add 'In about 20 minutes hun!" And resumed laughing after Kira's next mortified response as she ran into the shower as fast as she could, almost slipping reputedly.

Damia smiled, "Oh you're horrible." Pausing she said with a concerned look on her face, "They had better hurry, the sun is going to be up very soon. And you'll be on your own getting them; I'll be here with Kira helping her get ready."

Cyrus shook his head "Oh don't worry they know where to come, I pointed out the church tower and told them where to go from there. Cyrus wiped a tear out of his eye as he laughed "Oh boy, and yes I know i'm tricky" he said with a smile

Still looking concerned she said, "ok...they better be well protected..." Then she smiled, "Kira is going to be so nervous. I'm going upstairs to help her get ready." Damia said as she ran up the stairs.

Cyrus laughed and nodded as he took off his coat and threw it on a sofa as he went over and unlocked the front door. Sitting back down on the same sofa he took out one of his DEAGLEs and started reloading the magazine. Meanwhile Kira was rapidly washing her hair, trying her best to make it vibrant as possible. "Sometimes I hate having so much hair" she thought to herself

Damia knocked on the door, "do you have any idea what you want to wear? I'll set it out for you. And we can do something with your hair if you want."

"Okaaay!" she shouted out from the shower. She was stressing like any other 15 year old girl with a crush

After Damia set out some clothes for Kira she went downstairs and sat beside Cyrus Looking at the floor, weariness covering her face for the first time. "Cy...what do you truly want from this everlasting life of yours? What are you truly looking for?"

Cyrus was flabbergasted. He had never been asked that before, despite the fact that he had contemplated it very much in his life. "What I want...what I want is to create a world where Vampires and Humans can live in peace and harmony...and maybe, just maybe...actually be there to see that day come to pass..."

Damia nodded, "But right about right now. Not the future...us vampires have a natural life span of eternity..."

Cyrus smiled. "Yes I know...for right now...I want to make Damascus a stable place to live, for both Vampires and Humans. I've had a dream...of a unified Vampireic government. A sort of UN for the different Vampire clans of the world...That is what I want, but for now I'm gong to raise my daughter" he said with a smile as he looked at her

Damia smiled. "That last part is what I wanted to hear. The other things...they will surely come to pass sooner or later. I'm betting later; humans haven't even figured out peace between themselves. We vampires aren't much different. We still don't have peace among each other. That's where I believe it should start. Change starts at home." Damia smiled, "Kira is an amazing soul...she'll grow up to be an amazing vampire..."

Cyrus nodded "Yeah...Yes she will be, I can see it in her...she's just like her mother" he said

Looking at the clock Damia smiled, "John should be here soon..." Pausing Damia said, "This is a wonderful thing you're doing for her. She was worried you wouldn't like him."

Cyrus gave a small laugh "I didn't do anything, honest, Moss was visiting the Academy when I called him and he decided to pick the top student to bring with him, John is almost the top in all his classes apparently"

Damia gave an -are you fucking serious?- look. "You better not embarrass her then."

Cyrus laughed "I won't I won't I promise" there was a knock on the door and Cyrus looked out the window, then looked back and said "Come in" A second later the door opened and in stepped three figured. One was General Van Moss, who stood an imposing 6'8 and weighed nearly 300 pounds. He had a broad face and MASSIVE arms. He wore an olive green tank top. The figure next to him was shorter, 5'10, but was also muscular, while not too muscular. He had a long face and thin red eyes. His hair was in a long ponytail that went halfway down his back and hi wore a black trench coat. He was Miguel Armando. The last figure stood behind them but was still taller than Miguel at 6 feet. He had short brown hair and a fair face, save for a small scar on his jaw, He had eyes that matched his hair but still had a slight red tint. He wore an open black jacket and an exercise shirt under neither with jeans. John Wolfenstien.

Damia walked right up to all three of them and smiling said, "Hello, and welcome to my country and my home." Turing to John, Damia said, "Let me go get Kira." She then dashed up the stairs; a soft knocking on a door could be heard.

"Oh Kira, don't worry! You look amazing as always. Now get downstairs." With a motherly smile Damia nudged Kira towards the stairs. "Go. You'll do fine. Your father promised to not embarrass you!"

Kira stepped back with all the nervousness of a typical teenager, Damia pushed her again and she finally started down the stairs. Cyrus had brought the three into the living room and Kira's heart jumped into her throat as she came to the bottom of the stairs and entered the room. John looked at her and smiled "Hey Kira" he said. Kira gave a nervous wave and said "H-h-h-i" in a stuttering voice.

Damia walked up behind Kira and said in her ear, so that only she could hear, "don't be nervous. You're amazing, and he can see that."

John looked at her and kept smiling. "Why don't you sit down" he said confidently, offering her the seat next to him on the couch" Kira nodded slowly and her heart raced as she sat down next to him. Resisting every impulse to look at him. Cyrus smiled from an arm chair and looked to Moss and Miguel "Who did you leave in command?" he asked

"Clancy" Miguel asked. Cyrus nodded and looked to Damia, "May I introduce Damia"

Damia flushed slightly, "Hi guys" She smiled wide.

Moss extended his hand "A pleasure to meet you" Miguel grabbed his hand and retracted it for him "Oh no, your not pulling that trick, not after the last one, my name is Miguel Armando, and this is Van Moss. I'm Cyrus's second in command and adviser"

Damia raised an eyebrow, "nice to meet you both."

Miguel smiled "Well Cyrus brought us here to help him represent our territory in a meeting of some kind" he said looking to Cyrus, who nodded and looked at Damia "So when is this meeting anyway Damia?"

"Due to the recent events with Kira, and two former Heads the topic of peace between our two nations has been postponed. The city of Kirk Michael has a temporary Head, but the other city, Peel, is without one. So, until a new Head has been chosen, no decision can be made. I'll appoint someone as soon as possible. Then a meeting with Sierra for Laxey, Kirk Michael and Port Erin have been taken over by Josephine. I have two ideas for the other two cities; Sam for Kirk Michael and Sarah for Peel. They are cousins. I just need to check with them to see if they are up to the challenge." She smiled sadly, "I hope they take it on..." pausing, "I'll call now, then I can keep the meeting involving you three where it was before, a week from tomorrow." Darting to the phone Damia dialled quickly and spoke softly to Sam, looking at the others she gave a thumbs up, hung up and the dialled again. Giving another thumbs up she hung up on Sarah as well. "We have two new heads, both willing to make peace. This meeting will be easier now, all we have to convince is Sierra...she's a hard nut to crack though. Oh, and I have three more spare bedrooms for you guys." Damia smiled warmly, "you're welcome to stay."

Moss and Miguel nodded "We are greatly thankful for your hospitality ma'am. We will try not to inconviniance you as best we can" Cyrus smiled and looked at John "So are you in any of Kira's classes John?" Kira gave him an "I. WILL. KILL. YOU." look. John smiled "Why yes actually. We have almost every class together"

Damia smiled, "that's good. Now Cyrus, why don't we go else where right now? Kira and John don't need a chaperone."

Cyrus gave Damia a "Do we have to?" look, like a kid at Christmas. Kira gave Damia a "What?! Don't leave me here alone!" Look at the same time. Moss and Miguel stood up and said "Well the flight has been long and it's time for us to rest. Thank you again Damia"

Damia sighed and smiled, "Before we go over there," she pointed to the connecting room, there was no wall, "would you guys like anything to drink?" She smiled warmly.

Kira gave a sigh of relief "Yes! please." she said John smiled "If it's not too much trouble miss Damia. It has been a long flight"

"I know Kira has AB+, but what do you drink John? And please, just Damia." She smiled widely.

"Oh I drink the same again if it's not too much trouble. I know it's sorta rare" he said looking genuinely guilty

Damia shook her head, "It's not. Don't worry. I'll be right back." Damia soon came back with two glasses of blood. "There is more in the fridge."

John accepted both glasses and handed Kira one, who blushed and thanked him softly. He smiled back at her and she blushed more. Cyrus watched them from the doorway at the bottom of the stairs with a sorta knowing smile on his face.

Damia smiled and walked to Cyrus, grabbing his hand she pulled him to the couch, "Have fun you two. You must have lots to catch up on."

John laughed "Thanks you again for you hospitality" he looked back to Kira and held up his glass "To health and fun times" Kira raised her glass to his and clinked them together gently. John laughed and put his glass down "You know I was wondering where you went when you weren't in class Kira."

Kira smiled and tried to hide her face in her hair. "Really?" she asked softly "I didn't know you thought that much of me. With all your studies and such"

John laughed and took a sip from his glass "well usually I use my spare time to study, truth be told I'd like to one day be like your father. I envy him if anything. But for some reason when you left...I was worried..."

This made Kira's face light up like a Christmas tree and she looked down in embarrassment. "Really?" she said, trying her best to hold in her excitement.

John nodded "Yes, I can't really explain it. I just felt concerned for you"

Kira smiled. "Thank you..." She took a deep breath and decided to try and start a conversation "So have you ever been outside of Damascus?"

John nodded "Once, with my Grandfather Heinrich...he took me to Berlin to...to meet some distant relatives"

Damia's back stiffened, and she felt like turning around and asking what John's grandfathers name was again, just to make sure. "It couldn't be...." she said so quietly that John and Kira couldn't hear it.

Cyrus looked at her "What's wrong?" he asked. A concerned look on his face.

Kira nodded "Cool. This is my first time out of the city. It's so different here" she was starting to get more comfortable talking to him and it was starting to come naturally to her.

Damia shook her head slightly, "Not here..." Turning to Kira and John she said with a smile plastered on her face, "Kira, your father and I are just going upstairs for a minute, we'll be right back down."

Kira looked over at her "Okay." She looked back to John

"Anyways go on"

She said and smiled "Well you're right. It's such a different place here. just flying in I could tell. The buildings and environment are nothing like Damascus"

Damia practically dragged Cyrus upstairs she was moving s o quickly. She then took him into her room and shut the door quietly. "Tell me what John said his grandfathers name was..."

Cyrus looked utterly confused "He said his Grandfather's name was Heinrich, Heinrich Wolfenstein. Why what's wrong Damia?" he asked

Damia looked directly at Cyrus. "Heinrich Wolfenstein was my creator. I'm sure you know how the bond between creator and created goes. He has influence over me...Influence I cannot control..."

Cyrus's eyes widened "He was the one that turned you over?"

Kira sat and wondered what they were talking about but continued with the conversation that was now ablaze between her and John.

Damia nodded, "yes he is. I've never seen him since I've been turned, but I do know that creators have a lot of influence over those they've turned...they can make them do things they have never dreamed of doing...I also know that when a male turns a female he is more likely to have more sexual control as well..." She looked away.

Cyrus looked at her "What?...So...what do we do?" he asked, truly lost on what course of action to take.

"I have no idea. Pray he doesn't find out my name, I never told my customers my real name, or where I live. As soon as he sees me or finds out my name, then he has the ability to have control over me..." Damia sighed, "We can't tell John..."

Cyrus nodded "No...no defiantly not. I guess for now we just play it by ear." he said.

Damia nodded, "If he recognises me...and wants to control me...and make me try to hurt anyone, stay away from me. At all costs stay away....Please?" At the last word Damia looked hard into Cyrus's eyes, he own glistening, "I don't want anything to happen to you or Kira..."

Cyrus looked back deeply into her own eyes. "Alright, I will. I promise" he said. He brought his hand to her face and gently touched her cheek. "I love you" he said softly.

Damia smiled softly, yet sadly, "I may do other things...that wouldn't hurt you physically...." She looked away.

Cyrus looked down and slowly nodded "Yes...yes I know that."

"And...I don't think I have the power to stop him...mentally, I may be able to hold him off for awhile, but not physically.

Cyrus nodded again "I understand, for now we'll just stay as far away from him as possible. We can find out through John what kind of person he is now. After all these years..."

Damia shook her head, "tigers don't change their stripes, leopards don't change their spots and Manx cats can't grow tails..."

Cyrus looked confused at the last point for a moment then got back on track. "So what was he like anyway? Was he part of the Berlin Nazi clan?" he asked, eager to know his possible enemy

Damia flushed, "He didn't come to me to tell me things about himself...he came for sex. I was a prostitute at time...but, in bed he was...angry, he had a tattoo of swastika on his back...in fact, it was the full crest; with the eagle and everything...that's all I remember of him. The last I remember is waking up, naked, craving blood with bite marks on my neck, arms...even my legs. I was fully changed by the time I woke up. I was sore, and bruised...for a few days I walked like I had ridden a morbidly obese horse for a week..."

Cyrus looked deeply hurt by what she had told him. The things he had done to her...He clenched his fists and his eyes went a dark, cold, blood red.

Damia touched his face softly. "That time is long gone," she whispered softly, "and without him, I would have never met you..." Damia kissed his nose softly.

Cyrus gave a small smile and kissed her back. He then looked confused in a comical way "Morbidly obease horse?" he laughed a little.

Damia simply stared at him, "He rode me like it was going out of style, I thought my pelvis was going to break."

Cyrus fought to contain his laughter, and then he stopped and looked at her eyes. What about...you know...my own skills?..." he looked more than a bit worried

Damia giggled, "When he fucked me. That's all it was. Painful-very painful, unpleasant, unloving...it stole my dignity and pride...With you it's different. There's love, and kindness...it's a different experience entirely..." her voice trailed off with a smile.

Cyrus smiled and kissed her again, and then her cheek, he moved to her neck, smiling all the way.

Damia smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling herself closer. She pressed her hips closer to his, and brought their lips together in a passionate kiss. A small moan of longing escaped her throat.

Cyrus moved down slowly, kissing her chest and in-between her breasts. His hands explored her body.

Just as Damia began to arch her back, the doorbell rang. "KIRA DON'T YOU DARE ANSWER THE DOOR!" Damia unwillingly pushed herself away and went downstairs and opened the door. Her jaw dropped, "Heinrich...it's you..." Her mind was unwillingly drawn towards his, but her soul was repulsed. Damia began to back-up, disgust clearly showing on her face. She was just about to call Cyrus, and let him know who was here, but Heinrich placed a finger to her lips.

"Hush my child..." he whispered into her mind.

Damia glared at him and whispered, "Stay away from them!" He smiled.

"You're wish is my command love...but there is a cost..." Heinrich smiled, his body oozed evil. Damia wanted nothing more than for Cyrus to come down...

"What would that be My Creator...?" Damia found her body being pulled towards his. Thank God Kira and John were in the other room, unable to see the door, and that they showed no interest to who was there. She pressed herself closed to him, inhaling his scent and closing her eyes.

"I see you missed me Love...As to the cost, I simply want what is mine," Inhaling Heinrich crinkled his nose, "And to get rid of that stench that covers you."

Damia knew she couldn't call out, and she didn't hear Cyrus coming downstairs yet, so she sent out an urgent thought to him, hoping he'd hear it. "Cyrus...help...please...Hel-" Her thoughts where cut short by Heinrich's presence.

Cyrus heard her and burst through the door, throwing it off its hinges "HEINRICH!! DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH HER!!!" He yelled, pulling out his twin DEAGLES and training them on Heinrich's head.

Heinrich snapped his fingers and Damia moved in front of Cyrus grabbing the guns, tears streaming down her face. "I'm sorry Cy..." Heinrich snapped his fingers again, and Damia turned towards him, her lips touching his, her arms stiff and unmoving at her sides, her face contorted in disgust.

Cyrus's eyes mimicked his soul and burned with rage. He drew his short swords and stood poised to strike at the first possible opening. Kira and John heard the noise and walked into the room.

Kira looked at Damia and covered her mouth with her hands "Damia?!" she whispered.

John looked at Heinrich "Grandfather?! What are you doing here?!" he asked

Damia's face was streaked with tears, and she buried her face in her hands. Heinrich smiled, "John, Damia is the one I created. The only one I've ever changed over...now, she is mine." Damia's shoulders were shaking as Heinrich leaned over and kissed her cheek. As she was about to apologise, Heinrich placed a finger on her lips, "Love, there is no need to talk. You stay silent until the time and...place," he licked his lips, hunger in his eyes.

Damia stared at Cyrus, then Kira. Her eyes begging for forgiveness. Her voice had been taken away, so all she was able to do was mouth "I'm so sorry..."

Kira looked at Damia with sorrow in her eyes.

John looked at Heinrich "Is this what you were talking about?! You said to me that when the time is right I should be ready to know where my allegiances lie. Well I do!" He said firmly and stood in front of Kira in a protective stance. "My loyalties lie with those that I care for. Not with your...cult!" he yelled

Cyrus looked at John and nodded. Reminding himself to thank the boy later. "Moss Miguel! GET IN HERE!!!" He yelled and a few moments later both Moss and Miguel were in the room. Moss holding a shotgun and Miguel holding twin Walter PPK pistols both trained on Heinrich's head from a safe distance away.

Heinrich smiled, "Fine. Have your shot at my head," He quickly grabbed Damia's hand and pulled him to her, kissing her deeply, and in a way where she was blocking their shots. Heinrich pulled her closer, his hand crawling up her shirt. A sob escaped her throat. Heinrich pulled his face away and whispered in her ear, grabbing her long hair, "You stay as my living shield. Or else I'll find a way to hurt them..." Damia nodded and shivered with disgust as his hands traced her spine and waist. Over top of her shirt, he cupped both of her breasts.

Cyrus could not contain his rage. He only held himself back for Damia's sake. "Goddamn you. Goddamn you to hell you bastard" he said. His voice emanating pure hatred. Moss and Miguel looked to Cyrus and he shook his head.

Heinrich laughed, "Oh Cyrus...I would need to die to go to hell! He kissed Damia's neck, a bit it, drawing and drinking some of her blood. He frowned, "It tastes different...spoiled. A small smile crept over Damia's lips.

"You're tasting some of Cyrus's blood too. It ruined it for you didn't it." Suddenly a thought came into her head, she has part of Cyrus in her. A new light came into her eyes. If only he would catch onto this as well, and give her some of his independence, maybe she could pull away enough to scratch Heinrich's eyes out or something.

Cyrus thought hard. After over 300 years he didn't have the strength to save her! He cursed himself. Then a thought. He tried to think a message to Damia "Hey? You there?" he thought it very subtly so as not to alert Heinrich.

Damia answered, "give strength. Can maybe pull away a bit." Her mental response sounded strained and faint

Cyrus closed his eyes, slowly opening a channel for Damia to feed off of. He looked to Moss and Miguel and made a series of subtle, almost undetectable changes in his face to indicate what they were meant to do.

Damia closed her eyes and slowly she was able to pull away. She brought her hand up to Heinrich's cheek, as if to cup it lovingly. He smiled. Then, curling her hands into claws, she scratched his face; cutting one of the eye balls. He lost his control over her long enough that she was able to fall to the ground

Cyrus didn't hesitate and slashed with his short swords, removing Heinrich's legs. As he fell he planted the short swords facing upwards on the ground and Heinrich fell directly on top of them, piercing both shoulders. He held a silver dagger on his throat. The metal burned his ragged skin. "Now you will experience hell" Cyrus whispered to him.

Damia lay on the ground, she had curled herself into a small ball. Heinrich's blood was all over her. She kept whispering, "I'm sorry." Softly, over and over.

Cyrus looked at Moss and Miguel and nodded his head towards Heinrich. He moved aside as they grabbed the swords protruding from his shoulders and, pulled him up, and took him into another room. Cyrus went over to Damia and lifted her up in his arms, he started up the stairs but turned to Kira and John and said "Thank you John.." He turned and resumed up the stairs.

Damia was shaking. "Cyrus...Tell Kira and John...I'm sorry for what they had to see..." Tears fell from her eyes, "And for what you ended up seeing..."

Cyrus looked at her and shook his head "Shhh, it's alright" he whispered. He brought her into her bedroom and laid her down on her bed. He gently covered her up in the sheets and kissed her forehead. "It's okay Damia. Go to sleep, and get some rest. We'll take care of Heinrich. He won't bother you ever again. I promise" he said and kissed her lips.

Damia smiled and gave a soft nod. "Ok...can you make sure Kira and John are ok?" Damia closed her eyes softly. "I don't want them to be upset..." she yawned and fell into a fitful sleep.

Cyrus smiled and gently kissed her forehead, holding himself over her in petrified stillness. Breaking the motionlessness he stood back up and as quietly as he could closed the door, turning the naturally dim light as he left. He sighed as the door shut and he looked down at his hands, which were stained a dark crimson from Heinrich's blood as it had slid down his short swords onto him. He raised his hand to his face and carefully smelled the blood. He wrenched and drew his hand away.

"Foul" He muttered under his own breath.

Damia woke a few minutes later. Her dreams were plagued by the night's happenings. Sitting up she saw that she was still in the blood soaked clothes; Damia wrinkled her nose in disgust. "Foul..." She got up slowly, opening the door quietly she tip toed to the shower. Turning on the water she turned it to the hottest temperature possible and began to scrub herself clean. Twenty minutes later she emerged from the shower. Quickly grabbing a towel she wrapped it around herself; looking at the foggy mirror she wiped away the condensed water. Damia examined her face closely; she played with her hair for a while and then, reached for a drawer beside the sink and pulled out a pair of scissors. Taking her waist length hair in her hands she cut it off, just about her shoulders. As her long black hair fell to the floor and gathered at her feet Damia continued to look at her face. She needed a change. After her own personal hair cut was over, she stepped out of the bathroom, leaving the hair on the ground. Damia dashed to her room and quickly put in a pair of fitted jeans and a navy blue tank top. As she turned to leave, she looked in the mirror at her new look; her hair was cut in a perfectly straight line about an inch above her shoulders. Smiling, she turned and headed downstairs.

At the bottom of the dark staircase the front door cracked open and Moss and Miguel walked in, an air of moroseness clung to the air above and around them. Miguel looked up the stairs as he saw Damia heading down them. His expression changed from the grave look it carried to surprise. Moss followed his gaze and his own expression followed suit and changed momentarily to a look of surprise.

Damia smiled at their look of surprise. The change felt good. After all, she had the same hair cut for 100 years. "I needed a change..." pausing Damia added, "and long hair can be a liability..."

Miguel looked down and then back up at her, giving her a small nod of agreement before turning and walking into the living room and sitting down on the couch. Moss's lips formed into a small smile and he looked Damia's new hair over.

"It looks good on you miss Damia" He said, a since of remorse closing in on them.

Damia nodded, "a lot of change needs to be done around here." Sensing the moroseness in the air she frowned. "Where is Cyrus?"

Miguel cringed at the mention of Cyrus's name. Moss looked down for a moment before looking back to Damia. "He said to tell you that he'll be back by morning Miss Damia, he says not to worry and that he'll be fine"

Damia glared at Miguel and Moss, "You may have saved my life, but you will tell me where he went." She moved closer to them, anger in her eyes. "Miguel, you cringed when I mentioned Cyrus and Moss you don't even want to meet my gaze...talk to me."

Miguel continued to look away, allowing the air of discomfort to press against him. Moss sighed and looked up at Damia. Looking at her eyes he said with regret in his words "He's gone with Heinrich to...deal with him". Moss looked away, ashamed that he had betrayed Cyrus's trust.

Damia half-assed smiled at Moss, "thank you for telling me..." her face hardened again, "but where did they go?"

Moss looked back at her "I'm sorry...but...while I respect you and both Miguel and I think that you are a great leader...my allegiance still lies solely with Cyrus" He glanced over at Miguel before continuing "We both have our own reasons but...we both own him our lives and we will never betray him or go against his wishes" Miguel nodded slightly from the couch. Moss looked at Damia and gave her a small smiled and a pat on her shoulder before joining Miguel on the couch.

Damia's eye twitched slightly, walking up behind them she grabbed Moss's right ear and Miguel's left, "Get out. Now."

Miguel and Moss both threw her off at the door and looked back at her. "Alright alright we can show ourselves out!" Miguel yelled at her. He shook himself before opening the front door and walking outside.

Moss looked at her as he was about to leave and stopped. "I'm sorry it has to be this way. But Cyrus is where our loyalties lie Damia" He walked out the door, a new air of both regret and pride in his respectful decline.

Grabbing Moss's arm Damia said, "Kira and John are staying with me." This was not a question. She could sense them still in the building and wanted them to stay there. Just because Cyrus trusted these two, didn't mean she had to. Sighing Damia said, "I understand Moss..."

Moss looked up at her from the curb. He started to say something but stopped. A look of regret covered his face and he nodded before turning around to catch up with Miguel, who was already halfway down the street.

Damia shut the door softly, once closed she leaned up against it. "Cyrus you moron...I just want you here. You damned fool." She hit her head softly against the door about three to four times. Then, Damia went to the fridge and grabbed herself some blood and then went looking for Kira and John.

"Kira! John! Where are you two?"

Kira was in possibly the most embarrassing situation she had ever been in. She was in a spare bedroom with John upstairs. With no bathroom, and in all the excitement her bra had come undone. John sat on the bed next her as her cheeks blazed a bright red. She had spent the last 20 minutes trying to think of a way she could get her bra back on without having John notice

Damia knocked on the door "Guys? You two in there?"

Kira sighed and thanked whatever god existed in her head when she heard Damia at the door.

John smiled and got up off the bed "Yes we're in here" he said loudly and he unlocked the door.


	7. Chapter 7

Kira's face lit up with a bright smile that was even more heavily illuminated by her blushing cheeks. She then gave an unexpected screech as she stood up too fast and her bra decided to fall off her shoulders within her shirt. She sat back down and grabbed her chest. John looked back at her with a concerned look on his face. He quickly sat down on the floor in front of her and looked her over "Kira what's wrong? Are you alright?"

Damia giggled, "John, can you give us a moment? Girl stuff." Damia winked at Kira, she could tell what happened simply by how Kira put her arms. As John left the room Damia giggled, "nice bra action there Kira." Damia said softly. Smiling she said, "did his hands make their way up there? Or was it the typical malfunction?" Damia asked curiously, with a devilish smile across her face. "Don't worry, your secret is safe with me; I won't tell your dad."

Damia smiled, but thought of Cyrus, trying to pinpoint where he was with her mind. It's like their connection was severed. She could feel him at all; couldn't reach him...it's like he was gone. She kept the stress and worry completely off her face, even the sharp and observant Kira wouldn't be able to tell. But, it had to show somewhere, and that somewhere was her shoulders.

She giggled as Kira turned red. "C'mon...tell..."

Kira's normaly fair face was lit up like a Christmas tree as she got up off the bed, stood in a corner and tried to redo her bra. "It wasn't anything like that Damia!" she said with utter embaressment in her voice. "It just came undone in all the excitment and I didn't have a chance until now to do it back up!"

Damia giggled, "I know silly goose!" She stood up and quickly helped Kira do up her bra. "There you go." Smiling Damia looked at Kira, "Need any advice?"

Kira looked down as her face reddened further "Like what kinda advice?" she said in a small voice. Not having the slightest clue what to ask about or say.

"Well, you looked very very relieved when I walked into the room. Lacking conversation or are you just very nervous?"

Kira walked over to the bed and sat down "I don't know...I just don't know what to say. I mean I really like him and all...but I have no idea what to talk about! What should I do Damia?" she asked looking up at her with a slight twinge of desperation in her crimson eyes.

Damia giggled, young love. "He likes you too." She smiled, "what have you guys been talking about already?"

Kira wriggled around nervously "I dunno, just stuff. Like school stuff you know. What we think of the teachers, and the other classmates. Simple stuff" she said/

"Maybe you would try to move the conversation a little deeper...like maybe extracurricular things...your likes and dislikes. His as well." Damia smiled, Kira had this boy caught already.

Kira smiled "Aright, I will" she beamed. "Thanks Damia!" she said and hugged her tightly.

"No problem. I'll send John back in ok?" As Damia closed the door, she motioned to John that he could go back inside. As she walked away, the silence of the house seemed to consume her, and she felt very alone. Damia went to the living room and lay down on the couch. She drew her knees up to her chest and sighed. It was so empty; in a way, Damia wished she hadn't sent Miguel and Moss away...but on the other hand, their presence would have simply her pissed off.

Miguel and Moss were not far, across the street in the church in the basement they sat and waited for Cyrus to return. This came not long before morning when Cyrus landed outside Damia's house, and solomely knocked on the door. Miguel and Moss walked out to meet him and he nodded to them in acknolgment.

Damia opened the door, saw it was Cyrus, Moss and Miguel, and then slammed it shut, locking it.

Cyrus remained motionless for a moment, then nodded to himself. He looked to Miguel and Moss and signed to head back. And they all turned back towards the church. walking without word nor any other noise to be heard.

After not hearing any sort of sign that Cyrus was planning on coming back, she opened the door to see where he had gone. When she saw him walking away, angry tears filled her eyes and a sob caught in her throat. He was leaving her again? As her tears blurred her vision more Damia said, "Where were you?" in a soft, shaky, hurt and angry voice.

Cyrus stopped and slowly turned around, lifting his head so that his hood fell back around his neck, and from his red eyes, tears streamed, crossing his cheeks and reddening his face. He looked at her and shook his head. His mouth opened to speak but no words came out, only air.

Damia was at his side in almost an instant, she growled her next words, "I was worried SICK about you! I had no IDEA where you were, THOSE TWO," she pointed at Miguel and Moss, "REFUSED to tell me ANYTHING! What if something had happened to you!? I wouldn't have been able to even have the chance to help you! And what would I have told Kira if she asked where you were?!"

Cyrus looked at her solidly. Not wanting to show any of the pain or guilt he felt. "I'm sorry" he said simply.

He started to reach a hand out to her but stopped. He looked down and shook his head "I'm sorry for leaving you" he said, looking into her eyes. "I promise...that I will never leave you again...I'm sorry..."

Damia looked up into his eyes, hers were still filled with anger, hurt and almost a sense of betrayal; he had left her without a word as to where he was. It scared her. "Where were you Cyrus? I want an answer, a real answer. I want a place and I want a reason." She took a deep breath, "if you chose not to tell me, then I refuse to forgive you and will only let you sleep on the couch. Ever."

Cyrus nodded "Alright, the truth...the truth is that I took Heinrich away to end his life. And to make sure that the pleasure of death did not take him quickly or easily. He did suffer, and now he is dead." He said with a cold tinge in his voice.

"Where did you go Cyrus? You only gave me half of an answer." Her voice was cold and hard as ice. Her heart was racing, hoping he'd tell her so she could let him back in; into her house, her bed...her life. It was only then did she realize she was holding his hand, squeezing it as hard as she could.

Cyrus looked down at the hand that was holding his, then back up at her face "I was in a sea cave a few miles from here." he said. "I noticed it on my flight in here and thought it would be the best place...I didn't go far"

Damia nodded. "Why weren't they allowed to tell me Cyrus?" She asked softly. "I love you...I don't want to lose you...I was worried...I had no idea where you had gone, I couldn't even sense you AT ALL." Her voice rose and cracked on the last two words, she sounded scared and almost like she was in pain.

Cyrus looked away "I'm sorry. I told them not to tell you where I was or why i had gone because I was worried that you would come looking for me...and find something that wyou couldn't love..." A tear followed his own last words and he shut his eyes.

Damia kissed his cheek so softly; it felt as if a butterfly had landed there. "Cyrus...Don't be stupid. You can't turn love on and off. I couldn't just stop loving you at will...but...maybe that should have been a reason to change what you were doing Cy..." She place her hand on his cheek, it felt as light as a feather on his skin. "Let's go home before the sun rises ok?"

Cyrus nodded, he briefly looked back at Miguel and Moss and gave them a nod and they knew that they could come in too. Cyrus walked inside the house with Damia with Moss and Miguel behind him. Miguel closed the door gently just as the sun rose above the horizon.

The next evening Damia awoke lying next to Cyrus, her arms wrapped around his bare chest. She smiled and sighed happily, closing her eyes. Damia leaned up and kissed Cyrus's cheek softly.

Cyrus's eyes opened sleepily and he smiled upon seeing her face. He gently kissed her and said in a whisper "Hey, how'd you sleep?"

Damia shrugged, "better than last night..."

Cyrus looked down with a look of shame. "I'm sorry about that" he said without meeting her gaze.

Damia looked straight ahead and said softly, "don't do it again."

Cyrus brought his head back up to look at her again. A small smile crossed his lips as he said with truthful adamancy "I won't, I promise"

Damia looked at him, her expression serious, "I mean it Cyrus. There will be consequences..." looking away Damia added, "I may ban you from entering my house for awhile..."

Cyrus's face changed radically and he touched his hand to her cheek, bringing her face to meet his. He looked deep into her eyes and said again. "I promise" His voice revealed no fragment of dishonestly and held true.

Damia closed her eyes and leaned her face into his hand, "Ok...I believe you..." She then smiled and ran her finger down his chest, and kissed his neck softly.

Cyrus laughed softly and kissed the top of her head. His hands traced her naked figure up and down. His fingers analyzing her soft and warm skin.

She shivered and closed her eyes, smiling. "It's time to get up," she whispered. "They'll wonder why we're not up yet."

Cyrus smiled again and nodded "Alright" he said as he stood up and walked to the bathroom stopping at the door. "You gonna join me?" he asked.

Damia laughed, "I didn't mean I wanted to get up!" She laid down on her stomach, grinning at Cyrus.

Cyrus grinned back and sat back down on the bed next to her, his hands gently flowed down her shoulders all the way to the small of her back where the blankets covered her. "God you're beautiful..." he said softly, his eyes shimmering with a kind of gently tranquility.

Damia blushed and ran her hand's through Cyrus's hair; grabbing the back she pulled his face towards hers. She kissed his lips softly at first and then deeper and more passionately. She wrapped her remaining arm around his back, and one of her legs around his waist.

Cyrus brought her close to him as well with one of his hands, with the other he grabbed her leg that was wrapped around him and squeezed it. He kissed back with more enthusiasm and moved from her lips to her cheek and down to her neck.

Damia shivered and smiled, she then whispered in a husky voice, "Shall I try to keep it down?" She giggled, running her fingers lightly up and down Cyrus's spine.

Cyrus moved his lips right against her ear and whispered as sensually as he could "Only if you can" he grinned and gave her ear a tiny love bite, drawing a small drop of blood that he quickly licked off.

Damia smiled coyly and bit down on his neck, drinking his blood hungrily. She hadn't eaten for a long time, and she only seemed to feel the hunger when his blood touched her lips. Closing her eyes she moaned softly. "So good," she said, pulling away.

Cyrus gasped at her bite and squeezed her leg tighter. He made a motion and was inside her. "I love you" he gasped between breathes, and bite down on her shoulder, drinking slowly.

Damia gasped, she didn't expect that. She raised her hips up to meet his, dragging her claws down his back, leaving dark red scratches. "Oh God..." She moaned.

Cyrus grinned and thrust vigorously, sending a sense of pure ecstasy through both their bodies. Fulfilling them, empowering them...invigorating them. He grasped her hair with one hand and with the other dug his claws along her leg. He groaned and brought his lips to hers, passionately taking her in.

Damia let out a sharp gasp and a whimper of pleasure, she was at loss for words, her mind could only be filled with the pleasure she was feeling, nothing else. She wrapped her other leg around Cyrus's waist, pulling him closer. Then, she quickly bit down on his shoulder, to prevent herself from screaming out in ecstasy.

He carried on his pace, not stopping for anything for any reason. His mind was occupied with only two thoughts, the pleasure that he was experiencing, and making the women in his arms completely satisfied, beyond her most vivid dreams.

Damia's leg's began to quiver; her back arched and she threw her head back, a soundless gasp escaping her mouth as she reached her peak. "Holy. Motherfucking. Shit..."

Cyrus too threw his head back is his own back arched as he reached his climax simultaneously. His arms squeezed her tightly as he was filled with unimaginable ecstasy. His arms went limp around her and he held her, breathing heavily.

Damia laughed, "Good?"

Cyrus gave a small, almost unrecognizable nod. He tilted his head towards her "You?" he asked.

Damia smiled, "of course," pausing she said, "I am in constant wonder as to why I've never been pregnant before...even now...and since you have a kid, that means your swimmers are strong..."

Cyrus laughed and nodded again. "Yes indeed, well I'm glad that I don't have to worry about that. I mean, I don't think we're quite ready for another kid" he said with a sarcastic tone in is voice.

Damia rolled her eyes, "No shit...Wait, how do you know you wouldn't need to worry about that?"

Cyrus looked at her "Well now I don't. I mean you just said that you've never been pregnant so I guess it's not really that much of a concern really" he explained.

Damia propped herself up on her elbows, "The doesn't mean I CAN'T. I mean, the last time I had sex with anyone, besides that fleeting time with Heinrich, was over 100 years ago."

Cyrus looked at her again, a confused look in his eye. Then he looked down and said with a small laugh "Perhaps we should separate now hu?" As he saw that he was still inside her and all that was once in him was also still in her.

Damia shrugged, "it really doesn't matter. Your junk is in there, so I guess what's done is done. What will be will be."

Cyrus laughed and nodded "Oh yes" he said. He then gently pulled out of her and lay down on her bed. His arm extended for her to join him.

Damia lay down and leaned into Cyrus's warm body. She smiled and sighed happily.

Cyrus breathed heavily, exhausted. His arm draped over her and gently kissed her soft satin like hair. "I love you" he said between laboured breathes. He lay down flat on his back and held her in his arms, sharing his warmth with his, embracing her deeply.

Damia blushed and smiled "I love you too. So very much..." Damia looked up at Cyrus, "Will you marry me?"

Cyrus looked over at her and without hesitation or reservation said "Yes" his eyes were clear and his expression adamant or his decision. "I do"

Damia then threw herself onto Cyrus's chest, kissing him all over, her lips slowly tracing their way down his chest, a smile creeping across her face.

Cyrus smiled and kissed her back while her lips were in range. He ran his hands threw her hair and laughed "I want to be with you Damia, now and for always"

Damia looked up at him, resting her chin just above his belly button, "I was thinking...about maybe putting someone else in charge the Isle..."

Cyrus looked down at her, a wide smile on his face "So does that mean...You might be willing to come...come to Damascus with Kira and I?"

Damia smiled and nodded, "Yes...as soon as I can find a replacement."

Cyrus sat forward quickly and brought his lips to hers. Kissing her for what seemed like forever. "I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, and I love you!"

Damia then wrapped her arms around his neck pulling him closer, "I just want to be with you...for as long as I exist."

Cyrus put his arms around her waist and back and kissed her again. "And I with you"

"Who should I pick to succeed me?" Damia paused, thinking deeply. Then a small smiled crept across her lips. "Serena can. She's young and has a lot to learn, but she isn't stupid and knows our ways...you've met her once when you first came to us."

Cyrus nodded "Yes I remember. She seems capable." He paused before saying "So how long do you think it would take to get her ready to command? I mean Kira needs to get back to school and I need to get back to Damascus fairly soon. With Moss and Miguel here Damascus needs its leader back"

Damia shrugged, "well, first I need to ASK her. I mean, if someone doesn't want to take charge, they'll do a crappy job...if she refuses I don't know what we can do..."

"Yes that's true" His hand ran through her hair gently. "Maybe I should head back to Damascus with Kira, Moss and Miguel. Then come back after I make sure Damascus is all in order. Should only take a week or so"

Damia nodded, "Take as much time as you need love. I'll still be here...and it will give me time to get Serena involved..."

Cyrus nodded again "Yeah. So how do the other heads of the island feel towards me now?" he asked

Damia shrugged, "I'm not too sure...but a bit warmer. You're not hated anymore...but it won't be my problem soon..." Damia sighed.

Cyrus looked at her and touched her chin "Something wrong love?" he asked

Damia shrugged, "Nothing really..."

Cyrus looked at her eyes "You know...I could come...a-and stay here instead"

Damia looked up at him, happy tears in her eyes, "Of course I'll go with you!"

Cyrus smiled and look slightly confused but decided not to ruin the moment.

Damia nuzzled her face into his neck, her shoulder length hair falling over her face and tickling Cyrus's neck. "That's all I needed to hear...to know that you could see my land wasn't any more or less important than yours..."

Cyrus smiled and stroked her hair and back. "You know I would never think your land greater or lesser than my own"

Damia smiled, "I know. But it is always good to hear it..."

Cyrus laughed "Alright" he kissed the top of her head and rested his head in her soft hair

Damia leaned up and looked at him "So when are you going back to Damascus?"

Cyrus shook his head "Well Kira, Moss Miguel and myself will have to be heading back fairly soon. Within the next day or two. I've already been gone for MUCH longer than I said I would be. Maybe I'll leave Moss here as a liaison to The Isle of Man.

Damia smiled, "sounds good to me," pausing, "I love you."

"I love you too" Cyrus said and kissed her. "So very much"

Then looking directly into Cyrus's eyes Damia said, "I'll join you, as soon as possible...I just need to figure out how to GET there."

Cyrus smiled. "Well..." he said with a maniacal grin.

Damia raised an eyebrow, "what...?"

Cyrus looked away with an evil look in his eye

Damia looked at him more sternly, "Tell me...or else there will be consequences..." Damia began to look for her bra.

Cyrus waved his hands "Wait, wait, wait, wait!" he said a with a smile "How about I FLY you there" he said

A smiled crept across Damia's face and then she started to giggle. "Like hell you will. I don't mind heights, but I do mind the wind and the cold. So, no."

Cyrus laughed "I didn't think so. Well I'll send you my jet then. No charge" he said with a smile

Damia rolled her eyes, "Thank you Mr. Money Pants." Damia smiled, "I've never had the luxury of being rich."

Cyrus laughed "I'm not THAT rich...maybe just a little" He said with a look away

Damia laughed, "You have a jet! The entire Isle has one plane and one ferry. It was monumental when we had clean water. So Honey, compared to us, you are." Damia looked up at him, "Can we bring my horse? He's very special to me. He's only 2, 18 hands, a flea-bitten thoroughbred."

Cyrus laughed "Sure, as long as he doesn't mind a Germany winter and a 50 acre pasture then he should be alright"

Damia laughed, "Winter he will, but that is what coats and barns are for...He'll get lonely having 50 acre's to himself...can I bring my donkey too? Her name is Donny...she's great protection and my horse, Sam is in love with her..."

Cyrus raised an eyebrow for a moment then laughed "Sure, I'll have them flown out whenever you like" he said with a smile

Damia giggled and clapped her hands, "I'd like to be flown down the same place, at the same time." Cyrus, gave her a funny look. "What? I love my horses!"

Cyrus rolled his eyes at her. "Oh dear Damia...oh I love you" He said and kissed her on the forehead. Cyrus smiled "Alright, I bought a cargo plane off Air Canada a few years back to move some heavy shipments. I'll have it here for when you're ready to leave. As long as the Isle of Man has a large enough airport"

Damia giggled like a little girl, "Thank you! The airport is big enough. Don't worry about that." She kissed his cheek. "We should get up soon."

Cyrus nodded "Yes we should, You'll like Damascus. You don't have to worry about anyone knowing of your a vampire. It's common knowlage" he said as he got out of bed and searched for his clothes

Damia sat up in bed, the sheets pooling on her lap. "Are you, Kira, Miguel and Moss leaving tonight?"

Cyrus looked at her and smiled again. Gazing at her full breasts. "You are so beautiful. And no not tonight. I might send Miguel or Moss back. One or the other."

Damia smiled, and crawled over to Cyrus slowly. Once she reached him she began to kiss his chest and arms, slowly making her way to his neck and mouth. Once their lips met she began to bend down towards the ground...and pick up her clothes

Cyrus looked at her with a "That's just mean" look and put on his shirt and pants. "You know, I think you'll like the people there. Fast, but nice" He suddenly looked up "Hey. Can you speak German?" he asked

Damia flushed, "No...But I can speak Manx, Ukrainian and Polish. I know Polish will help me because Polish is also spoken in Germany."

Cyrus nodded "Alright. Well I can have someone teach you proper German as it is spoken the most. Then Polish. And then English" He explained

Damia shrugged, "Ok, but I can't guarantee I won't butcher it. When I tried to learn Russian...oh dear...."

Cyrus laughed as he pulled on his boots. "Oh dear god I can only imagine" He walked to the door and opened it once Damia was dressed "Let's go see how the young ones faired"

Damia smiled, "Those two lovebirds will have fared just fine."

Cyrus raised an eyebrow at her and smiled "Oh I now they will" he said as he knocked on John's door and gestured for Damia to go to Kira's. No body answered the door so Cyrus peaked his head inside. John wasn't there. "Hu. Where did he go?" he said casually. "Is Kira there?" he asked/

Damia knocked and looked in Kira's room. She also wasn't there. "Cyrus...Kira isn't in her room either..."

Cyrus frowned "C'mon, let's look downstairs" he suggested. They walked down the stairs and as they reached the bottom heard a rustling. When they rounded the corner into the living room Kira and John were sitting on the couch innocently. Straight backs, hands in laps, eyes forward...lipstick on John's cheeks and lips. Kira smiling faintly. A small light in her eyes.

Damia giggled, "You two have fun?" Raising an eyebrow she nudged Cyrus and whispered, "Don't over-react Cy."

Cyrus was about to say something but stopped. He paused for a moment then said "Good morning. How'd you sleep?" he asked. John just sat there mouth slightly open. Trying to form words but finding himself unable to. Kira was the same until she finally said "I slept well, thanks...how about you?" she asked nervously. Cyrus raised an eyebrow before replying "Good"

Damia smiled and shook her head, "Anybody want breakfast?"

Kira and John both let out a sign of relief that someone broke the silence "Yes...yes please" they both said in unison. They looked at each other and laughed.

Damia smiled and went to the fridge and pulled out everyone's favourite flavour tossing it to them. "oh yeah, as soon as I find a replacement I'm coming to Damascus."

Kira's eye opened wider than dinner plates "WHAT?!?!" she screamed. She looked at Cyrus who nodded before literally leaping over to Damia and wrapping her arms around her and squeezing the life out of her. "O.M.G!!!! WE HAVE TO GO SHOPPING!!!!!"

Damia squeezed her back, "Yes. You'll have to show me where all the good places are. Since I've never been to Damascus before...also..." Damia paused, "Would you like to be my Maid of Honour?"

Kira's eyes almost jumped out of her skull. Again she looked at Cyrus, who again nodded, a coy smile on his face. Kira visibly vibrated for several moments before screaming out "!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" And once again with renewed vigor grappled Damia to the floor. "!!!!" She screamed not waiting between words. John and Cyrus both laughed out loud at her excitement.

Damia laughed and kissed Kira on the forehead. "Happy much? You've got the most fashion sense here, so I trust you to help make me look great."

Kira literally stopped breathing for several moments at the thought of helping with the wedding dress. She remained still for a freakishly long amount of time. Clinging onto Damia, just staring at her.

Damia raised an eyebrow, "Are you ok there Kira?"

John leaned over her "Kira? You alright?" he said with a hint of real concern in his voice. Cyrus smiled "Wait for it..." he said. John looked at him confused. Kira started to shake. Slowly a massive smile crept across her face. A high pitched squeak built up in her throat.

Damia plugged her ears and laughed, "I think she likes this idea of ours Cy, don't you?"

The noise built up more. Cyrus plugged his own ears and John looking at them both followed suit. The noise grew into a scream that continued for several minutes until she finally drew in a breath and screamed again. For about 3 minutes this kept going until she ran out of air. Cyrus looked at Damia "Possibly" he said with a grin

Damia smiled warmly, "I'll get a replacement as soon as possible. Promise; and cross my heart." Damia giggled, "so I would say within the week."

Cyrus nodded "Alright, don't rush on our account." he said with a smile. Kira still had herself wrapped around Damia like a Chinese finger trap.

John just stood there laughing. Kira looked back at him, a twinkle in her eye before going back to smothering Damia. John smiled and turned to Cyrus, a look that said 'don't hate me...please' "So....was it that obvious?" he asked cautiously. Cyrus gave a small laugh and smiled "Yes son, yes it was." he turned to leave the room and as he passed John he whi9spered "Take care of her, and treat her right" he smiled and patted his shoulder before leaving to see where Moss and Miguel were at.

Damia gave wink to John and then whispered in Kira's ear "If you ever need any advice...or anyone to talk to about things that you would rather not talk to your father about...my door is always open."

Kira giggled and nodded slightly biting her lower lip. "I will" she whispered back and giggled more. Cyrus heard her giggles and smiled. "Oh how I love having a daughter" he thought to himself. He walked up the stairs and knocked on Moss and Miguel's doors. "Moss, Miguel? You two up yet?" "Yes sir" Moss replied back and opened the door. "Sleep okay sir?" he asked a small smile on his face. Cyrus glared "Yes. Thank you very much" Moss laughed

"Kira, I'm just going to go see your father ok?" Damia then pried Kira off of her waist. As she went upstairs she heard what Moss said, and Cyrus's reply. Walking up to the both of them she pulled Cyrus close, locked their lips, pressed herself against him tightly then turned to Moss and said, "For what little sleep we got, it was GREAT."

Cyrus just stood there stunned alongside Moss who after a few moments started hysterically laughing. Miguel who had just walked into the hallways from his own room saw the whole thing and joined Moss in his laughter.

Damia then pulled them closer and whispered, "You're just jealous no one fucked you last night."

Cyrus turned to her smiling "I love you" he said and kissed her back. Moss and Miguel both slammed their doors and Cyrus laughed before saying "Oh c'mon guys. Moss all you have to do is wait till we get back to Damascus and then Tabitha will welcome you with open arms. He turned to Damia quickly "His wife" he turned back and added "And Miguel all the dance clubs are still going to be there when we get back"

Damia laughed and knock on Miguel's door, "The girls will be all over you. And Moss, your wife will most certainly be all over you."


	8. Chapter 8

Miguel did not respond. Cyrus leaned over and whispered to her "He doesn't like me telling other people but...He can't resist dancing. Put him in room with a lot of dancing people and he just won't stop...it's scary"

Damia blinked rapidly. "Ok...weird..."

Moss held back laughter as he had overheard them. Cyrus gave him a quick smile and turned to Miguel's door. "C'mon Mig, there's blood downstairs. Let's eat. Then decide on when to leave."

Damia nodded, "I'll let you boys get to it then. I'll call Serena and ask her what she thinks of my idea..." Taking a deep breath Damia then yelled, "SERENA! COME HERE PLEASE."

Cyrus clapped his hands over his ears as she yelled and only after a few seconds after she finished did he remove them. "You done?" he asked.

Damia nodded just as Serena darted up the stairs.

"Yes Damia? You called?" Serena said.

Damia smiled, "Serena, I have a proposition for you. Would you like to take my place as leader...forever...?"

Serena blushed, smiled, nodded and said in a voice similar Kira's, "You'd trust me with that honour?"

Nodding Damia said, "I'd call and check up on you from time to time. And you could call whenever you need me. I'll get a cell you can call, then call you with the number. Ok?"

Serena nodded vigorously. "Sounds great! Thank you! Thank you, Thank you!" And with that she gave Damia bone crushing hug and darted off.

Cyrus raised an eyebrow "I guess she wants the job" he said and laughed before starting down the stairs with Moss just as Miguel opened his door and followed.

Cyrus looked back up the stairs halfway down and asked Damia "So you coming or not?" he said with a smile "This concerns you too."

Smiling, Damia said, "Ok, I'm coming!" and skipped down the stairs after them. Once they sat down she said, "You guys can leave any day you want. I just need to give some advice to Serena, pack up my stuff, and my horse and donkeys stuff...then I'll be ready in about a week."

Moss was first to speak "Wait...Horses and donkeys?" Miguel also raised an eyebrow at her. Cyrus looked at them "Hey, most girls bring clothes...she's got horses" he said with a small laugh. "Anyway" he continued "Since Damia can't fly and we can't fly her all the way back to Germany. So I've ordered my jet out here and the cargo plane as well for the animals. So Moss tell me who exactly did you leave in charge when you and Moss left?" Moss replied first "We left Van Drake in charge in your stead sir" he explained Cyrus nodded "Alright that will do until I get back now I suggest that Kira and myself along with moss and Miguel fly back immediately and set up for when you arrive and you can call when you re ready to leave and the planes will be there be the end of the day" he explained to Damia.

Damia giggled, "I only need the cargo jet. I'm riding with my animals...and my clothes..."

Cyrus nodded "Alright then" He looked to Miguel and Moss "Alright well you two get ready and I'll get Kira and John." he said as he and Moss the Miguel stood up and headed up to their rooms. Cyrus looked to Damia "Want to help me find Kira and John?" he asked as they had left a note saying they were going out into town.

Damia nodded, "Sure...why not?"

Cyrus opened the door for Damia and they walked out and onto main street and casually strolled down the sidewalk. Keeping an eye out for Kira and John who where at the moment walking the complete opposite direction of Cyrus and Damia. Kira talking sporadically, her face still a little red in his presence, John modestly making conversation when necessarily and listening intently

Damia pointed and giggled softly, "Look at those two love birds..." She then reached down and grabbed Cyrus's hand all stealth like. "So...do you approve of him?"

Cyrus looked over at her. "Yeah" he said and looked at Kira. A loving smile on his face and a warm look in his eyes "yeah I do" he said without looking away

Damia smiled and followed his gaze, "are you sad that she's growing up into a beautiful woman? I mean, so many guys in her classes must have had some sort of fantasy about her..."

Cyrus's eyes turned into a mortified stare and he slowly averted his gaze to Damia. Not speaking a word just staring

Damia shrugged, "The boys who are her age...they have hormones...LOTS of them. Trust me. I know this...but...John is different...he respects her mind and body..."

Cyrus's expression faded into an understanding look and he looked back at the tow of them "Yes, I think he will treat her well" he said simply. "She's my little girl and always will be, weather she is 15 or 50. But no matter how and she is I will always love her and look after her" he added softly

Damia smiled warmly and kissed Cyrus softly on the cheek, her eyelashes fluttering against his cheek, the warmth of her lips lingering on his face. She then turned his face towards hers and looked deep into his eyes, "Promise me one thing Cyrus...well...two..."

Cyrus nodded "Anything" he said softly. Touching his hand to her warm cheek.

"If she plans on John being her...well, first...Just promise to be there for her and to not judge, persecute or anything like that? And...promise me that you'll always be there...for both her and me..."

Cyrus looked at her for a moment then smiled and kissed her gently "I promise...I will always he here for you, and for my daughter. And I will support her if he is her first. I just don't want her to do anything like that until she is old enough or mature enough to handle it"

Damia smiled, "Kira asked me something in private the other day...."

Cyrus tilted his head "Really? What did she ask?"

Damia giggled, "well, not so much the other day as a little while after we announced us getting hitched...she asked if I was pregnant and that's why we were getting married so soon."

Cyrus's eye widened with surprise "Well then. What did you tell her?" he asked

Shrugging Damia said, "The truth..."

Cyrus looked slightly concerned "Which is?" he asked

"I have no idea at the moment but I highly doubt it. That seemed to suit her just fine."

Cyrus nodded "I also find it unlikely as we have such low fertility rates...oh well i guess in the long run it's a good thing. Too much of us vampires and humanity has a problem. " he said with a tiny laugh

Damia shrugged, "It wouldn't be THAT BAD if I was...would it?"

Cyrus shook his head "No not at all. The rest of the council would be in an uproar but it wouldn't be that bad at all" he said with a kiss

Damia smiled softly with some sadness, "Would they really now?"

Cyrus smiled "They just don't like anything sudden. It's not in their nature. But it's not like anyone would be directly opposed." he said. He touched her chin and raised her head to his. "Hey. I wouldn't mind. I wouldn't mind at all"

Damia gave a small nod, "Ok...that's good...but," she paused, "So, even if it wasn't with you they would be displeased?"

Cyrus shook his head a little "Well it actually is kind of because it's me. It's more or less all political to them. But they wouldn't be so much displeased about it but about being surprised" he explained

Damia snorted, "Politian's sucks..." pausing Damia said, "say...am I still going to be part of the political scene? Being hitched to you and all, it would seem...reasonable...that I would be."

Cyrus looked at her with a surprised look "Of course Damia. What made you think otherwise?" He asked. In Damascus the wife or husband of the head of the clan had many responsibilities and authority second only to the head himself or herself. Since Helen's death Cyrus had taken over for all of her duties and cares.

Damia shrugged, "No idea...but what responsibilities would I have?"

Cyrus shook his head "At this point I've lost track of what's my own responsibilities and which are Helen's. I took over hers after she died. Mostly the same stuff as me but...actually it is basically the same stuff as me." he said with a laugh.

Damia rolled her eyes, "Well, it would do both of us well if you figured it out; now wouldn't it?" She leaned up and kissed his cheek, "It is starting to get early, we should go scout of the young ones."

Cyrus nodded and scanned the street for Kira and John before spotting them walking away from an ice cream stand. Kira had chocolate, and John had vanilla. Cyrus nudged Damia and pointed in their direction "Look" he said, grinning "Don't they look cute?' he added.

"That they do, I feel bad, ruining their evening, but it won't be long before the sun rises. And we all know what happens then..." Damia paused and looked at Cyrus, "Maybe...one day...you could tell me about how your wife...how Helen...died?"

Cyrus nodded "Yes it is sort of mean to spoil it. They look like their really having fun" He glanced at the horizon which had a hint of warm magenta to it. He called out to Kira and John and they turn and walked across the street towards them. Before they got there Cyrus looked to Damia "I'll tell you how Helen died for sure, but not now alright? not with Kira here. Sorry but it's a very sensitive subject for her" he explained

Damia nodded, "And don't forget what her duties were...I know I could never replace her, but I at least want to do a half decent job..." Damia looked away.

Cyrus looked at Damia again and was about to say something but Kira and John arrived. "Hi daddy. What's up?" she asked. "Um...It's getting early kids, and we need to get back to Damia's house." He explained. John and Kira both nodded "Okay, let's go" she said and John followed her down the street leading to Damia's place.

Damia shot a tiny glance Cyrus's way, but quickly averted it. Talk about awkward moment...

"They're far enough ahead; they wouldn't be able to hear us..." Damia said so softly, Cyrus also didn't hear it.

Cyrus too glanced at Damia. He turned to her quickly "Damia what do you mean by a half decent job? You're going to be great! And don't worry about replacing her...she would want me to move on, and you are who I love now. Alright?" he said quietly

Damia nodded, "I know that...but there still is no replacing what you and Helen had. We both know that is true. And...I have a feeling the council won't be impressed with your choice of bride. I don't exactly come from a, well, well known background. And certainly not a prestigious one."

Cyrus looked at her, a look of absolute confusion on his face "Damia...I don't know what you think but I know that what you and I have is different from what I had with Helen. Not better or worse. But different. I love you...As for the council...they'll get over it. They always do. It's not that big of a deal" he explained

Damia smiled, "I'll do my best to impress them. Be all polite and most importantly hold my toung."

_***FLASH FORWARD; one week - Damia and her equine pals have just landed in Damascus.***_

As the plane doors opened and Damia led her donkey and horse off the plane, all on wobbly legs from the flight; as none of the three liked to fly; they saw Cyrus waiting for them. "Cyrus!" Damia yelled, beaming. As fast as lightning, she mounted Sam, and got him to run full tilt toward Cyrus. Donny the donkey followed right after, slower though. As they all came to a stop in front of Cyrus, Sam made an awkward, yet happy sound.

Donny, grunted, displeased. Damia rolled her eyes and looked at Donny laughing, "You're such a drama queen. You still have Sam, so be content with that."

Cyrus walked up to Damia and embraced her. "I missed you" he whispered. Miguel stood behind Cyrus and smiled as they rejoined. He stood forward and held out his hand "Good to see you again Miss Damia, we've been expecting you" He looked up at the quarter moon "Nice night out tonight wouldn't you agree?"

Damia smiled, "I missed you too. So, so much." She then looked at Miguel, "A very nice night...colder than what I'm used to though."

Miguel nodded "Yes it can get quite cold here, and it rains alot too." Cyrus indicated the jet black Bentley Continential GT parked on the tarmac, "Shall we?"

Damia looked back at her horse and donkey, "What about those two?"

Cyrus pointed his finger at a large truck pulling up to the plane "They will take them to the moor house in the country, it's about a 30 minute drive from the mansion" He explained

Damia smiled, walked over to her pets, gave them and hug and a kiss, "I'll visit you soon loves..." She then turned to Cyrus, "Shall we go?

Cyrus nodded and walked over to the car, opening the passenger door for Damia and gesturing her inside. He smiled as he closed the door and sat in the driver seat. He put in the 6 digit code and turned the ignition, bringing the 12 cylinder engine to life. He revved it a few times then took off down the tarmac, ignoring the break all together

Miguel stood in the smoke where the car had been and chuckled. He walked forward for a bit then unfolded his wings and took off, heading for the mansion

Damia clutched onto the seat for dear life. "What the hell Cyrus, why on earth are we going so crazy fast!?" She shot a glare at Cyrus, "This had better be worth it, like Kira is in danger or we're meeting with the council..." a light bulb lit in Damia's head, "Oh God, we're meeting with the council aren't we?"

Cyrus looked over at her and gave her a small smile. "Well it's half and half, for one yes we are meeting the council, and second..." he grinned and slammed the accelerator down, jumping up too 160 in an instant.

Damia shot Cyrus a death glare. Unhappy camper. Damia looked down at what she was wearing...plain clothes...slumpy clothes.."Is there anything for me to change into when we get there?"

Cyrus nodded "Yes don't worry. I had Kira go out and get you some clothes that she thinks would look great on you. Their waiting for you at the Tower. "

Damia smiled, "Awesome. I'll need to thank her." Within minutes of traveling at a ridiculously high speed, they reached the tower.

The Tower was a tall reflective office building that was owned by a pharmaceutical company that was secretly owned by the Knights. Cyrus pulled into the underground parkade and parked in a reserved spot. He showed Damia up to the second highest floor where his office was and showed her the rack of clothes that Kira had bought for her. He stepped outside the room to let she change. "Take your time, they won't start without us" he said with a smile on his way out.

Damia nodded and rooted through the clothes. Soon, she found a navy blue top that laced up at the back and a black a-line skirt with navy lace details and a slit up the side. It took Damia a few minture to get into it all and as soon as she finished she left the room to find Cyrus standing outside the door, "How do I look?" She spun slowly.

Cyrus smiled and clapped his hands lightly "Wow, you look great" he said, his eyebrows raised in amazement. Cyrus had changed into a black suit and tie with a white shirt but he still had twin M9s in holsters within his jacket along with a short sword and a few knives. A smaller Walter PPK was in a tiny holster on his ankle.

Damia smiled, "shall we go now? Might as well bite the bullet...and Cyrus...can I have one of those knives?" She pointed to an empty ankle knife holder, "Kira must have thought I would need it. It was with all of my new clothes...it still had the tag on it."

Cyrus looked at the holster and laughed. He pulled out a knife from his waist and tossed in lightly into the air. "Here" he said casually "You can borrow this one"

Damia caught it easily as they walked down the hall, "thanks...which one of these doors is the one we want?"

Cyrus opened a door with a staircase leading upstairs. At the top of the stairs was a long hallways lined with a dozen guards on each side. They walked past them and reached an opaque glass door with a fingerprint and retenal sensor. Cyrus put his hand to one and eye to the other and soon the door opened, revealing a wide circular desk occupying the whole room. Seated across the table were 6 individuals. Three male and three female.

Cyrus took his spot at one end of the table and he offered Damia the seat to his left. "Please" he said politely.

Damia sat down and smiled nervously. Two of the male council members looked at her curiously, while the last, and most imperious looking looked at her with a look of distain. "Who is this...creature...what seems to be someone trying to fake wealth...? Perhaps, a gold digger or a common whore?"

The two other males then looked at him wide eyed. "Ethan, what on Earth are you trying to do?"

whispered the most gentle looking male.

"Hush Mason! You forget your place it seems..." Said Ethan sharply.

The third male rolled his eyes and placed his face in his palms.

Cyrus glared at Ethan "Mr Fuchs, this meeting has not yet been called into order and yet you have proven to be as ill mannered as when I left." Cyrus tilted his head "I was expecting some degree of chivalry from you, but it is obvious that this is impossible for you to accomplish. Your comments are out of order and merit nothing less than expulsion from this council. However, I will not do this as it would require too much paperwork!" he finished with a yell.

By this time Damia was glaring, her lips pursed, jaw clenched, and eyes narrowed. The ankle with the knife twitched. The she stood. "I refused to have Cyrus to be the one to speak for me. As future WIFE," Damia stressed that word, "to Cyrus, I would hope to have a certain level of respect. And, no, I do not come from a wealthy family or country. But I am certainly not here to take ANTHING from Cyrus. Now, if you would excuse me, I have much better things to do than to listen to your verbal abuse. Like say...clean horse shit." With that, Damia turned on her heals and calmly walked out the door, slamming so hard the walls shook.

Cyrus didn't dare follow her. Her knew better than to get in her way after that. He looked at Ethan. "You're income is hereby taxed 30% without question of chance for reprieve. In addition you are excused from this meeting. We have to place here fro that kind of behaviour. Now GET OUT!!!" he yelled as he stood up and pointed at the door.

Ethan gave a curt nod and left. The other two, Mason and Ralph, looked at the door, then Cyrus, then the door. "Have yourself a little firecracker I see? Ralph said with a smile.

Cyrus signed "Oh you have no idea" He said with a small smile "I see he hasn't gotten any better"

Mason shook his head, "he got even worse when you left...it was painful to be around him. The three women nodded, and then one spoke.

"Cyrus, we welcome your return. But, you must tell us more about this girl. You've only been gone a few weeks. Do you not think your union is a little...hasty?"

Cyrus nodded "No councillor Krutz I do agree that this is happening fast, however this is...right. You must trust my judgment on this, as a friend to me."

Krutz nodded, "as a friend, I worry for you. You know that...We all do...save for Ethan...he hates everyone and everything." She smiled.

All of a sudden, a loud crack was heard, like the sound of skin on skin, then a yelp. A voice was heard; loudly, "How dare you publically insult me like that you ignorant bastard! Never ever speak to me that way again. Do you understand me?"

A soft and meek "no" was heard.

Cyrus was out the door in an instant. His twin M9's trained forward ready to put a pair of silver bullets on anything threatening.

The sound was an angry Damia, glaring at a very meek looking Ethan, with a red hand print on his face, with traces of claw marks at the tips of the finger/hand print on his face. And event such as this had never happened to the threatening Ethan. After all her was about two feet taller and buffer than Damia. Damia bared her teeth at Ethan and hissed slightly.

Cyrus kept his M9's trained on Ethan's head "What on earth is going on here?!" he yelled. The other council members entered the hallways and say the situation. The 2 dozen guards had swords drawn and were poised to attack at the first sign of a weapon from either Damia or Ethan.

Damia then stood up straight, looked around and shrugged, "Etiquette lesson...and making a horrible first impression on my part."

Cyrus signed "Oh boy..." he said to himself. He holstered his M9s and waved a hand to the guards who reluctantly sheathed their hand-and-a-half swords. Cyrus walked over to Ethan and Damia and push them away from each other. "Ethan, I suggest you leave this building. Now" he said with a glare. He looked at Damia with slightly less anger "Go wait in my office. We'll talk after the meeting is concluded." he gave her a no nonsense look

Damia gave a small nod, started to walk away but then stopped, "Which way would that be?"

Ethan nodded and left.

Cyrus looked back at her from the doors to the council room "Down the stairs, 5th door on your left" He said coldly and closed the door behind him slightly slamming them.

Damia flinched as the door slammed, then slowly made her way to Cyrus's office. When she got there and opened the door, she saw a huge and regal looking office. All in earthy-russet-and burgundy tones.

Over an hour passed before Cyrus finally walked into the office. Looking worn out and exhausted.

Damia looked up quickly, startled out of her reading the book "A history of Damascus." Seeing the look on Cyrus's face she asked, nervous, "How badly did I fuck things up?"

Cyrus said nothing as he walked over to a beuro at the side of the office and poured himself a glass of well aged scotch from a decanter. He sat down in a large rotating leather office chair. He took a few sips from the glass and ran his hand down his face, looking like he had aged despite that being impossible. "Well..."

Cyrus signed "It took a lot of convincing but I managed to get the council to allow you to remain here. And they're willing to accept the marriage...Damia I know Ethan was completely out of line but he is a councillor, and a high ranking one too, He runs the 3rd district for Christ sake. If it had been most other people to hit him they would have been imprisoned already!" he exclaimed

Damia snorted, "the guys thought he was an ass. The resistance must have been from the women." pausing Damia said, "But...at least I get to stay here..."

Cyrus shook his head "It's not that simple Damia. Everyone may think he is an ass, however he IS still a counciler and that carries weight. Either way they are all still under me and so I stall carry all final decisions. So you're off the hook. But i must ask you not to go around slapping other important politicians? It doesn't do good for your approval rating" He said with a tiny smile

Damia laughed, "I promise I won't. Cross my heart and hope to...well...you get the point, since I can't really die..." She smiled softly, "is there anything that I can do to solidify my position here?" She gave a sarcastic laugh, "I'm guessing not something like popping out a son like in the old days?"

Cyrus laughed and beckoned her over to his chair for her to sit on his lap. "Come here" he said

Damia sat lightly on his lap, "yes love?"

Cyrus smiled leaned back in the chair, he kissed her neck gently and held her with his arms around her waist. "Well a public coming out party would defiantly help" A look crossed his face "I got it! The BioBlood Tech Fundraiser is coming up this week. All the high rollers from the city will be there. It's to raise funds for blood synthesis research. If we can get enough money together then we won't have to take blood form people. it would be perfect o make a formal introduction for you" he suggested. "Usually it's just Kira that goes to these things with me since her mother died but I could take you as well"

Damia smiled and nodded, "Ok...but what do I wear? Like...ball gown type stuff?"

Cyrus nodded "Exactly, it's got a, you guessed it blood theme so something red or white. Kira and you can go out and get whatever you want. I spoil her too much but her she is my daughter. She'll be coming too so you wont be alone" he explained

Damia giggled like a little school girl. "SCORE! I can't wait to go SHOPPING!!!" Damia was practically vibrating with excitement. "But...as I said, announcing and solidifying my place are two different things..."

Cyrus nodded "yes you're right however this will be more of an announcement rather than a solidifying thing that can come later. Don't worry, there are too many of these functions already. There will be plenty of opportunities to solidify your position"

Damia sighed, "But HOW would I do that?"

Cyrus laughed "you know something I still haven't figured that out. Trust me you'll figure it out as you go along. Just be yourself and try to make friends without getting pushed around"

Damia smiled, "You mean without PUSHING around. And fuck, if a baby would help, why not?"

Cyrus laughed "Well that might not work as well as it did 200 years ago" he said with a laugh

Damia smiled, "You never know. They can't force out your baby mutha" She started to laugh loudly.

Cyrus joined her "Haha yes well either way I think the public will like you. I mean this is just for the higher members of society but you'll be working with everyday vampires and more than a few humans too. After all half the city is vampire and half human. it's basically common knowledge that we exist here"

Damia then let out a sigh, "Where's Ethan? I want to go apologise to him. And if he isn't in this building, can you let me know where he would be? I can drive your car there; it has a GPS in it." She smiled, "It's the least I can do. And you don't need to come, since I know you still have things to do here. I do believe there is a lot for you to catch up on."

Cyrus contemplated the thought of Ethan they Damia being along together and shuddered. But he decided to allow it as it would be foolish for Ethan to try anything. He has already been punished for his rude behaviour. "Alright, he will likely be at his estate. It's in the southeast part of the city. Sorta our Bev Hills. The address is in the car's computer. He reached into his desk and pulled out a brand new sliver sleek flip cell phone. "Here, this is for you. I got it for you when I got back. It's got all the numbers you need in it. Miguel's, Moss's, Kira's, mine. And I know the number on it so we can call you"

Damia knocked on Ethans door, she could smell him from behind it. "Ethan? May I come in and talk to you?"

Ethan grunted, "Fine Miss." As Damia opened the door, Ethan was at her side in a nano second, shutting it softly and locking it swiftly, knocking the cell from her hands. "Once a whore, always a whore. I know of your past, I saw it when you slapped me. All I needed was skin to skin contact and poof, and then I could see everything you have seen." Ethan grabbed her by her neck, stunning her and pinning her against his mahogany desk. Damia scratched his face, barely phasing him. He then ran his cold fingers up her thigh, ripping her skirt with a claw as he went. Once he reached her panties he easily tore them off. Damia wanted to scream, but his hand was gripped so hard around her neck, she was just barely able to breathe, let alone scream.

Ethan then moved to her shirt, ripping it off revealing her smooth supple breasts, which were still marked by Cyrus's mouth. "You two have certainly been busy. Is that why he's taking you as his bride? Perhaps a bastard child?" Damia could see a bulge forming in his pants, a disgusted look crossed her face, Ethan squeezed her neck harder. "Wipe that look off your face girl, or else this will be more painful than it needs to be." With that, Damia spat on him; only causing Ethan to punch her in the face; causing her to fall to the ground, stunning her and making her dizzy. With that, Ethan undid his pants, and pulled out his length and shoved it into her, causing Damia to nearly scream; but before a sound could escape her lips, his hand was over her mouth. After a few thrusts, Ethan grunted and pulled out then whispered in Damia's ear as he zipped up his pants, "What will Cyrus think of his future bride now? Revisiting her whoring days. Aiming for my approval." Smirking, Ethan kicked Damia in the ribs so hard there was an audible crack before he left the room, slamming the door. Damia lay curled up on the floor, naked, her clothes ripped and torn. Tears began to fall from her eyes, and she said very softly, "Cyrus...I need you..." Her heart ached for him.

Cyrus was at the moment at his home in his study working on his computer, until he felt it...A sudden overwhelming sense of dread and anger. He knew Damia was in trouble, and he knew that something had happened. He immediately stood up, turned around and opened small, rectangular box on the bureau behind his desk. From the box he pulled a small, thin, single-edged, pure silver knife. The handle was

simple and looked relatively unused. He held the knife tightly as he pressed a button built into a desk and the skylight above opened and Cyrus leapt up into the sky above the city. He took a few streaks of his leathery wings to set his direction before bringing them back against his sides. His arms were streamline against his body. He closed his eyes and focused all of his energies. And then he was gone. Several miles away be appeared above Ethan's estate. he could feel Damia below and he dove down. He impacted with the roof of the house and shattered it completely, leaving a massive gaping hole as he descended through the 4 story house. He reached the ground floor and stopped. He saw Damia on the floor, her clothes torn, naked...afraid...he dropped the knife and it stuck itself in the wood floor. He ran to her and covered her quickly with his coat. "..." he tried to say something but nothing came out of his mouth, only a thin wisp of air. He unfurled his wings and wrapped Damia up entirely. Surrounding her. Encasing her. His lips moved and for a bit nothing came out, then a whisper; "I'm sorry..." he said. He reached for his phone and dialled Moss's number. When he answered

Cyrus simply said "Moss...Damia...Ethan...The estate...now...please....help" Moss immediately knew what had happened and what to do. After hanging up he collected his team and headed straight for the estate. They waited till they had come and then Cyrus passed Damia off to them. He turned to Moss and said in barely a whisper "Take care of her while I'm gone" And with that he turned around, knelt down, pulled the knife out of the floor and stood back up. And when he did, his eyes were no longer a crimson red. But a pitch black. He walked up the stairs of the house. Knowing where Ethan was. He did not say a word or go particularly fast. He just walked up, turned to a door on the top floor, and opened it, to Ethan with a gun to his head.

Damia shivered under Cyrus's warm coat as Moss picked her up gently, she felt as light as a feather to him. Looking away from Moss's face she said softly, "I didn't even get the chance to do anything...to do anything...I...I wanted to fight back...but he was just too...too..." tears fell from her eyes and fell onto Moss's hand. Sobs began to wrack Damia's body, which seemed smaller than ever. The sobs increased in intensity, until she began to cough.

Meanwhile downstairs Moss was taking Damia outside of the estate while his task force dispatched Ethan's vampire guards. He walked over to a van and climbed sat down in the open back, Damia still a wrapped up bundle in his massive arms.


End file.
